Adjusting to Life ‘Online’

Struggling to find the perfect snack for those long study sessions or for a mid-afternoon bite at work? Look no further! These memory-boosting cacao bliss balls from Meghan de Jong are all the fuel you need - with the added benefits of lion's mane mushroom, a well-known nootropic that can help to increase concentration, attention, focus and memory retention. As an adaptogen, lion's mane also provides the support your stress response needs during trying times! "Boost Your Memory" Cacao Bliss Balls Ingredients 1 cup almonds 1 cup Medjool dates 1 Tbsp. Organika Lion's Mane “Memory” Powder 2 Tbsp. cacao powder 2 Tbsp. cacao nibs ¼ tsp sea salt ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 Tbsp. sunflower seed butter (or any other nut butter of choice) Instructions Place almonds in a food processor or blender and mix until you reach a fine flour-like consistency Add the dates to the blender and continue to mix Add all remaining ingredients and continue to blend until everything is well incorporated Roll into golf ball size shapes and store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for any longer NOTE: If your dates are a touch on the dry side, feel free to add 1 – 2 tsp of warm water to the mixture to help moisten things up while you’re blending Meg De Jong is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist located on Salt Spring Island. She has a passion for growing, cooking and baking delicious food! Follow Meg on Instagram, or check out her website.

Surprise! Midterms are just around the corner; yes, it comes quick! What can you do to best be prepared and survive exam season as gracefully as possible? If you start preparing yourself now, it may go a little smoother, and make your recovery time following exams a little quicker. Everyone does exams differently so it is important not to compare yourself to others. Do what works best for you! Turn your blinders on, buckle down and do not let exams set your health regimes back too far. Make a plan Make a study plan leading up to exams. Break up the hours in the day according to what you need to study and when. Try putting your hardest subjects during a time of the day when you focus best. Stick to the schedule and adjust it as needed. If you find yourself struggling harder than you need to, or just losing focus, go for a walk or call a friend. Breaks are important; just be mindful of how long they are. Make sure to include work outs, food prep and spending time doing some self-care activities in your daily planning. Sleep tight Pulling all-nighters is just not a great game plan. Many students fall into the trap of thinking it is necessary to do in order to be successful during exam periods. Research has shown that students who pull all-nighters have a harder time making decisions, struggle with recall as well as have delayed reactions times. All-nighters are also shown to decreased learning capacity by 40%! Not sleeping during the night may also have long term consequences for overall cognition, as well as suppressing your immune system and disrupting your hormonal balance. If you are a new student and you are flirting with the idea of staying up all night to cram, re-visit that plan now. You have time to get yourself into a good sleeping routine. Your health and decision making are worth it. Start studying early and you will be able to sleep better come exam time. Eat good and Exercise Grab groceries before the your midterms start and take some time to do meal prep. This will help you to keep your focus and avoid sugar crashes by not needing to grab quick, carb-rich foods during studying. Exercise should be a part of every student’s weekly routine to help manage stress and stay active. It acts as a stress reliever by bringing fresh blood flow to the brain and keeps our overall health in check. You do not need to spend hours at the gym, and you won’t have the time to, so keep your workouts brief, but intense. Go for a 20-minute run and do three sets of squats. Something short but performed daily will help you better cope with stress and keep your health on track! You WILL survive exam week. Midterms come and go and before you know it, there is another set of exams quickly approaching. Challenge yourself to tackle it as best as possible by asking for help, keeping your heath in check, and preparing as best as you can ahead of time. Best of LUCK! Amy Wilson Amy is a certified nutritionist with over 7 years of experience working in the health and fitness industry. She is currently in her fourth year as a Naturopathic Medical Student and has a special interest in gut and brain health. Find her on Instagram: @amy_kwilson

Our routines are different, we’re all adapting to a new normal – at least for now. Since most of us have a bit of extra time on our really clean hands these days, let’s focus on what we can control. Structure and routine make us feel grounded. To help get centred, let’s map out the day and create room for the 4 M’s. Starting each day with a mindful routine can help settle feelings of chaos and anxiety, calm the mind, body and soul. Creating a deliberate and intentional morning routine can provide a sense of emotional balance that carries through your entire day. Meaningful Engagement Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation or emotional distancing. Reach out to family to stay connected. Set up group chats and FaceTime with friends far away – chances are they’re in the same boat and craving interaction. Smile and thank the people working in the stores you visit. Make the most of this time to make someone’s day. Meditation Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. The list of benefits is long, but some of the highlights include: reducing stress and anxiety promoting emotional health reducing blood pressure improving sleep It can be done almost anywhere (find a comfortable seat and get in position) and you can choose the length and theme of your practice. And there are free apps galore that will guide you through the entire process. Try Insight Timer and Calm to get started. Mindfulness Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present and aware. In simpler terms, it changes how we react to everything. Being mindful is about paying attention to where we are and what we’re doing, without being overly reactive or overwhelmed. From your breathing to the flavour of your breakfast, every little detail can shift things. When we’re mindful, we reduce stress, enhance performance, gain insight and awareness through observing our own mind, while increasing our attention to others’ well-being. Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and caring into everything we do. Even a little makes our lives better. Here are some great places to find out more: Aura: Sleep & Mindfulness app The Power of Mindfulness TEDx talk, by Dr. Shauna Shapiro Ten Percent Happier app Movement Get outside for a walk or a run if the weather allows. Follow along with some yoga videos or try this 5-minute arm workout. Exercise has so many physical and emotional benefits: releasing endorphins, improving sleep and mood, strengthening muscles and bones, upping energy levels, curing boredom. If you’re feeling cooped up and need to get the blood flowing, find a way to add movement into your days. And the comfort food tastes that much better when you’ve moved your body!