Tag nutrition

Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally – Managing stress naturally often begins with your eating habits. There are certain foods you should be avoiding, such as caffeine and high amounts of sugar, because they tend to make stress worse over time. However, there are also a lot of diet recommendations for stress relief, including the following foods.

Eat More Complex Carbs

Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally – The good thing about this diet tip is that not only will it help with stress, but it is a good healthy dieting guideline to keep for overall health and even weight loss. Complex carbs take longer to digest, which can help you maintain your energy and stabilize blood sugar levels. They include whole grain and whole wheat bread, pasta, cereal, and rice. Having some oatmeal or overnight oats can also be great if you are trying to eat more complex carbs. You want to try and avoid refined carbs, like white bread, white rice, and regular pasta.

Load Up on Veggies | Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally

Yes, you are going to hear it again: you need to eat your veggies! Vegetables are so important for all the nutrients they provide, which can also help to reduce your stress levels. For example, asparagus has a lot of folate, also known as folic acid, which can be wonderful for helping to relieve stress. Avocadoes are also recommended due to the vitamin E, folate, beta-carotene, and lutein, all of which are food for blocking fats that can increase your stress. Both of these healthy foods are easy to add to meals, from having sliced avocado on your salad, to eating asparagus on the side of your fish or chicken for a nutritious dinner.

Have Some Dark Chocolate | Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally

Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally – Believe it or not, there are some sweet treats you can have if you want to reduce your stress, but you should go for the dark chocolate varieties. While you often want to indulge in a lot of sweet candies and baked goods, the temporary stress relief can lead to a lot more issues. However, dark chocolate is good for you, tends to be lower in fat and calories, and also has tons of antioxidants. These antioxidants will help to balance out the stress hormones in our body, thus reducing your stress levels.

Choose Fatty Fish | Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally

Diet Tips to Help Manage Your Stress Naturally – For lunch or dinner, try to add some fatty fish at least 2-3 days a week. It is low in fat and high in protein, plus it is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. These are also high up on the list of nutrients that help with excessive amounts of stress. Try fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and mackerel.

Therapy in Brandon  

If you find that you’re feeling stuck more than often, or you’re noticing that your anxiety or trauma is especially high during the winter season, know that you’re not alone, we encourage you to reach out. Our counsellor here at Bliss Counselling & Wellness Centre have experience working with anxiety, stress, grief, trauma, depression, and so much more. We offer both in-person and online services. To learn more, reach out to us at 431-302-8803, or go here and fill out an online form!

About the Author
Emem Iniobong, is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor who is an EMDR trained and 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.

Fall Eating: Seasonal Foods to Add to Your Diet – When it comes to following a healthy diet, it isn’t all about calories and restrictions. You can still eat your favorite foods, but instead focusing on adding in more healthy options. This is easy to do when it comes to eating seasonally. For the fall, try to incorporate more of these fall superfoods into your diet.

Greens – Fall Eating: Seasonal Foods to Add to Your Diet

Fall is the perfect time to add more greens to your diet. There are many greens that are considered superfoods in the fall season, starting with turnip greens. If you haven’t tried them before, now is a great time. They are loaded with nutrients, like vitamin C and vitamin A, as well as a lot of vitamin K. You can also get calcium in turnip greens. These are a little bitter, so combine them with a citrus-based dressing.

Another green that is king of the show in the fall is kale. Start making some kale salads or add it to your smoothies, and you will be getting lots of the same vitamins – A, C, and K. It also has an excellent amount of antioxidants.

Veggies – Fall Eating: Seasonal Foods to Add to Your Diet

In addition to greens, there are some other veggies that are in season during the fall. While you can find these year-round, getting them while “in season” will mean more affordable produce, and often higher quality. This includes:

• Sweet Potatoes – Who doesn’t love a good sweet potato? You are probably used to enjoying these in the fall, where you get a slight sweetness with this complex carbohydrate. Make a healthier baked potato, slice it up into fries, or enjoy it mashed with some grass-fed butter.
• Cauliflower – Cauliflower is all the rage these days, since it is not only a taste most people can get behind, but because it is a low carb vegetable with a lot of versatility. It also happens to be in season during the fall.
• Brussels Sprouts – Brussels sprouts are also a fall superfood, and they contain some amazing nutrients, including fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, and antioxidants.
• Pumpkin – Pumpkin is one of the most popular vegetables in the fall, and for good reason. Not only is it delicious, but it can help increase your vitamin A and vitamin C.

Fruits

Fall is also a great time to add fruits to your diet! Some of the best fruits you can eat are in season during the fall, including:

• Apples – Fall is the perfect time to start eating apples if you haven’t been already. They are more flavorful and often more affordable as an added bonus. Try to look for apples that are firm, without bruises.
• Pomegranate – Pomegranates are a source of fiber and antioxidants, plus provide a slightly tart and sweet flavor in the fall season.
• Pears – Another great type of fruit to enjoy in the fall season is the pear. Pears are sweet and very versatile. You can eat them on their own, dipped in peanut butter, or even on a sandwich or topped on waffles for breakfast.

As the leaves start to change colours, it’s time to switch up your diet too! Add these seasonal fall foods into your meals for a boost of nutrition and health. Need more info on how to add colour to your diet, call us today.

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.

We firmly believe that the importance of good nutrition in the development of children and teens cannot be overstated! Numerous studies have shown that the dietary habits of children and teens can affect their physical growth, cognitive development, and mental well-being. Nutrition is a crucial part of childhood development for both child and adults. Read on to learn more about how what you feed your children or teen impacts their lives now and in the future.

The role of nutrition in the development of children and teens remains important because nutrition is a process where the body uses nutrient to sustain life. More so, our body uses the nutrient to keep it healthy as we learnt from our series on my child their nutrition.

Nutrition Needed For Development of Children and Teens

The nutritional needs for development of children and teens are very different from those of adults. As such, it can be hard for parent and caregiver to know how much food a child should eat, what types of food they need, and when they need it. This is especially true with the growth spurts that come between ages 1-5 for kids and again at age 11-14 for teens. On top of these growth spurts we have all sorts of school sports, extracurricular activities, homework assignments and more demanding schedules to deal with!

The problem many parents face is that it can be difficult for them to know what those nutritional needs are and how best to meet them. This blog series, will help you gain better understanding the role nutrition plays in your child’s development.

By staying connected and reading this blog post and series, you’ll learn about some common questions related to childhood nutrition including why kids need certain nutrients at different stages of life. How much protein or vitamins kids require and whether supplements are necessary; and how diet impacts behaviour and cognitive development.

Nutrients That Are Important

There are different types of nutrients that are important to a growing children and teens development. Although, there has been increased awareness about the importance of a healthy diet for children and teens, it is still difficult to find information that is both practical and easy to understand. Many parents are still uncertain about what constitutes a balanced diet for their child or how much food they should be eating at different ages.

In this blog series, we aim to provide answers to the common questions by exploring various aspects of childhood nutrition. Topics such as types of nutrients that are important in developing children; recommended daily intakes (RDIs) for energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates.

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.