June 18, 2014

Understanding Depression

Many people experience depression every day.  According to Health Canada, approximately 16 percent of women and 11 percent of men, in Canada, will suffer from major depression over his or her lifetime. The good new is, psychotherapy and counselling can help.  This video sheds some light into understanding depression.

June 01, 2014

Helping Teens Cope with End-of-School-Year Tests

As many students are approaching the end of the school, they tend to be busy with tests and assignments. In a recent survey on stress, teenagers reported levels of stress similar to adults. The Stress in America Survey by the American Psychological Association reported things that cause most teenagers significant stress. As the end of the school year approaches, teens may experience additional stress. Parents need to pay attention to the warning signs, talk to their children and help them to manage their stress. Read More
Source: American Psychological Association

May 10, 2014

Can Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy Really Change Our Brains?

Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) is used to treat many mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress. CBT is based on the premise that problems are not caused by situations or events in our lives, but on how we interpret these situations which can then affect our mood and behaviour. So the questions is asked, "What happens to our brains when we have CBT?" Learn More ...
Source: BBC News

May 04, 2014

Helping Teenagers with Stress

Adolescents may experience stress daily. Learning stress management strategies can be helpful. Find out more on how you can help adolescents cope with stress in the article ‘Helping Teenagers with Stress’.

April 30, 2014

Nutrition and ADHD

Scientific research on ADHD diets is limited and results are mixed. Many health experts, however, do believe that diet may play a role in relieving ADHD symptoms. ADHD expert Richard Sogn, MD, points out that whatever is good for the brain is likely to be good for ADHD. Brain researcher and ADHD expert Daniel Amen, MD, recommends these ADHD diet suggestions:
Eat a high-protein diet, including beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts. Add protein foods in the morning and for after-school snacks, to improve concentration and possibly increase the time ADHD medications work.
Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, such as candy, corn syrup, honey, sugar, products made from white flour, white rice, and potatoes without the skins.
Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and some fruits (including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, and kiwi). Eating complex carbs at night may aid sleep.
Eat more omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in tuna, salmon, other cold-water white fish, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive and canola oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are also available in supplement form.
Source: WebMD

March 17, 2014

Learning Disability

A learning disability (LD) pertains to an individual experiencing significant learning problems in an academic area. One in ten Canadians has a learning disability which can affect the individual's ability in listening, math, reading, spelling and writing which tends to make it difficult for the person to learn as quickly as others unaffected by a learning disability. Individuals who experienced a learning disability includes Alexander Graham Bell and Walt Disney. If you want to gain more awareness about learning disabilities such as it's definition, understanding LD and research, Learn More ...

Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress

When you're feeling anxious or stressed, these strategies will help you cope:

Take a time-out. Practice yoga, listen to music, meditate, get a massage, or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping back from the problem helps clear your head.

Eat well-balanced meals. Do not skip any meals. Do keep healthful, energy-boosting snacks on hand.
Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.
Get enough sleep. When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest.
Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health. Check out the fitness tips below.
Take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly.
Count to 10 slowly. Repeat, and count to 20 if necessary.
Do your best. Instead of aiming for perfection, which isn't possible, be proud of however close you get.
Accept that you cannot control everything. Put your stress in perspective: Is it really as bad as you think?
Welcome humor. A good laugh goes a long way.
Maintain a positive attitude. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
Get involved. Volunteer or find another way to be active in your community, which creates a support network and gives you a break from everyday stress.
Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern.
Talk to someone. Tell friends and family you’re feeling overwhelmed, and let them know how they can help you. Talk to a physician or therapist for professional help.

Fitness Tips: Stay Healthy, Manage Stress
For the biggest benefits of exercise, try to include at least 2½ hours of moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g. brisk walking) each week, 1¼ hours of a vigorous-intensity activity (such as jogging or swimming laps), or a combination of the two.

5 X 30: Jog, walk, bike, or dance three to five times a week for 30 minutes.
Set small daily goals and aim for daily consistency rather than perfect workouts. It's better to walk every day for 15-20 minutes than to wait until the weekend for a three-hour fitness marathon. Lots of scientific data suggests that frequency is most important.
Find forms of exercise that are fun or enjoyable. Extroverted people often like classes and group activities. People who are more introverted often prefer solo pursuits.
Distract yourself with an iPod or other portable media player to download audiobooks, podcasts, or music. Many people find it’s more fun to exercise while listening to something they enjoy.
Recruit an “exercise buddy.” It's often easier to stick to your exercise routine when you have to stay committed to a friend, partner, or colleague.
Be patient when you start a new exercise program. Most sedentary people require about four to eight weeks to feel coordinated and sufficiently in shape so that exercise feels easier.

Source: Anxiety and Depression Association of America