Winter

It’s that time of year! Snow has hit and so has the cold weather. I was always taught to put on a jacket and bundle up or else I would get sick, and I would always tell my roommate the same thing. But she always used to say that’s NOT true. Well let me just say she’s right it isn’t. BUT don’t just think you can go outside in shorts and a t-shirt and not get sick, because you can and most likely will. Just because you can’t get sick from actually being cold, doesn’t mean you can’t get sick. Being cold weakens your immune system making it easier for you to catch the common cold or anything else that’s going around at the time. So, I guess I was right as well. Bundle up and don’t be stubborn, because you can get sick!

Enjoy the cold and all the glories it has to offer! Don’t you just love runny noses? Happy Winter!

Exam Stress

We all do it. We cram our last little bit of studying into the last minute, and then we get stressed out. So here’s a little story. In first year university, a girl on my floor decided it would be ok if she left studying for her psychology exam until the night before...BAD IDEA! Psych has so many different concepts and so many things to learn. So anyways this girl decided that it was also be a good idea to overdose on energy drinks. She had had two big cans of Jolt and as well as some other caffeine drinks (coffee, tea, coke, etc). It was early morning when she went knocking on her roommate’s door telling her she needed to go to the hospital ASAP! Her heart was beating so fast she couldn’t breathe and felt like she was going to pass out. She didn’t come back to school after that day. She came back to write her exams then was too sick and stressed out to continue. So here’s the point to the story.

• Do NOT procrastinate, I do it all the time and it’s not good for your body, stress does kill so be careful.
  
• Make sure you’re getting in your 8 hours of sleep. Make sure you don’t try cramming everything into one night, and if you’re tired go to bed. You don’t retain anything anyways when you’re studying and tired.
  
• And lastly, do NOT over dose on caffeine drinks, you don’t need them. If you’re getting enough sleep, exercise and are eating healthy, then you should be able to cope without the drinks!

Good luck on your exams everyone! Don’t stress!

Click here for ways to relieve your stress!

Beach Bod

BEACH BOD HERE I COME! I have started a new exercise program. It’s called the AirClimber. It is a step machine and along with it comes a food plan guide and instructional DVD. I’ve been doing it for a week now and have lost 4 pounds. I am on my way to getting the beach body that I hope for! December 26^th is when I’ll be showing off my beach bod to the world! Hopefully I’ll lose another 10-15 pounds and get the six pack I once had (yes, I used to have a six pack!).

Stressed Out?

It’s that time of the year, when stress levels are through the roof!

Did you get hit by the stress monster yet? Want to relax?

Try yoga. It helps relieve stress. Personally, I enjoy heated yoga. Its a great way to feel amazing after a long stressful day. Both heated and non-heated yoga, work on your breathing, help you lose weight, lose stress, and lose those tight muscles! You’ll be flexible, fit and feeling young again in no time.

Have too much energy, and think yoga may be too relaxing for you?

Try kickboxing or a bootcamp. These are great ways of releasing any frustration on a kicking bag (instead of anyone else!) I’ve tried both yoga and kickboxing/bootcamp classes and personally I enjoy the bootcamp classes. The music is upbeat, you’re allowed to talk (which I always do) and it’s a great way to get in shape. When I do go to yoga classes, they’re usually the 60 minute ones, as opposed to the 90 minute classes. I find the 90 minute classes for me are too long (I tend to get bored easily, and an hour and a half WITHOUT talking is way too hard for me!) You need to try out different classes and see which one works the best for YOU. Everyone is different, and you may enjoy the 90 minute classes because you have more time to relax, and you may hate the bootcamp music. YOU have to decide what’s the best workout for YOU.

Sweet, Sweet Potatoes

I just LOVE sweet potatoes! They have made it to my food cravings list. Last night I went to my best friend’s house and her mom had made sweet potatoes just how I like them.

Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh or dried rosemary
• 1 tsp of salt

Instructions:
Cut sweet potatoes into cubes of 1 ½ inches. In roasting pan, combine sweet potatoes, garlic, rosemary, oil, and salt. Toss to blend well. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes, turning sweet potatoes occasionally. Roast until they have a nice golden brown and even burnt coat. Enjoy!

Trying to Lose Weight?

Make sure you’re not only eating right but exercising as well! 60 minutes of brisk walking a day is a great start to help you get on the right track to becoming fit and healthy. If you can walk to work or school, do so. A brisk 30 minute walk to work and one back home is all you need to help you shed some pounds.

Blogging Class Response - The End

The end is near. According to CBC pop culture specialist Jian Ghomeshi, says the end of traditional media is here. The end of radio, TV and print are discussed in his documentary The End. Ghomeshi explores the way new technologies are starting to replace old ones. Although the radio is still here, still alive and pretty strong, it's similar technologies like it that are threatening the death of traditional radio. Satellite and digital radio, for example, are coming in and have a higher audience. There are no commercials to listen to, so anything you want goes. Also, the invention of MP3s and MP3 automobile hookups is threatening radio. We can download the songs we like and don't have to wait through commercials and listen to songs that we don't really care about. TV although you may not know it, is also being threatened by new media. The internet has become a popular place to watch shows that you've missed or just want to watch before everyone else. The internet with sites like Youtube and Surf the Channel, have made it hard for TV companies to compete with the on demand request of consumers today. Everything is high speed and instant. Companies have now started to use the internet to their advantage. They are posting shows online, so they can attract consumers to their website and make them aware of their company. Everything now a days is going online, even news papers. One of the oldest newspaper companies in the USA, has gone completely online this year. There is no need for print, if we can get it all on the internet, and it's up to date. We live in a society where speed is a necessity. We must be up to date and we must know everything. The end is near for traditional media, only time will tell when new technologies will be recognized as traditional.

A Hearty Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – and no I’m not saying that because we were taught as little kids to think that, it’s true! A good hearty breakfast will get you through the day. For a good healthy hearty breakfast have an omelette.

Veggie omelette:

• Your choice of vegetables
• 3 egg whites
• 1 full egg
• 1 slice of whole grain toast
• Assorted fruit
• 1 glass of milk

This breakfast is easy to make, and is full of protein, calcium, and vitamins. It will keep you full and you can always pre-make it the night before. Cut up vegetables and fruit, so you’re ready in the morning. You can also pre-make the omelette the night before and just heat it up in the morning!

Packing Snacking

Pack snacks for your day. Along with your lunches throw in a couple of healthy snacks you can nibble on. You should be eating 6 times a day. Slice up some cucumbers, or celery, bring an apple, or a few grapes. Even nuts and granola bars, or cereal is good. The more times you eat throughout the day, the less you feel hungry and will get a craving for unhealthy food. You can pre-pack your snacks in containers or Ziploc bags, and label them for the entire week. It saves you time and money!

**Tip: Don’t eat while you’re watching TV, you don’t realize how much food you’re really eating. If you do plan on eating while watching TV or at the computer, snack on healthy options.**

Thinking Ahead

To ensure you are eating a healthy meal, pack your lunch for the next day. You know what is going into your food. Pack leftovers from the night before, or make a simple sandwich with a side of salad. Pack a bottle of water and some fruit or veggies and you’re set! It’s easy, quick, simple, and also very cost efficient.

Caffeinated vs. Decaffeinated

This past summer I read a news story on caffeinated coffee vs. decaffeinated coffee. The truth is, is that decaffeinated coffee still has caffeine in it - not as much, but it still has a small dosage. I also read that decaffeinated coffee is worse for you than caffeinated. This is because of the chemicals they use to “decaffeinate” the coffee. So, if you are thinking about getting a large decaffeinated coffee, why not just get a small caffeinated, or even better a tea!

Goodbye Smelly Garlic

Tired of smelly garlic hands? Tried washing and washing and washing the smell away? Well look no further for a simple solution!

I noticed after cooking with garlic, it takes forever to get rid of the smell from your hands. I was thinking of solutions to get rid of the smell.

• Solution #1: Don’t cook with garlic! – But then I thought to myself, what’s cooking without garlic? (So scratch that idea)
• Solution # 2: Use gloves – but that’s not always practical, and how about if I don’t have them on hand?
• Solution #3: Use garlic powder or pre-chopped/packaged garlic – two good solutions, but sometimes fresh garlic is just the touch a certain dish needs.

So ... how do you get the freshness of garlic, without getting smelly hands? Easy.

Some stores sell soap shaped stainless steel bars that you rub your hands together with. Or you can use a stainless steel spoon or other utensil. If you don’t have anything stainless steel on hand, rubbing your hands with a little salt or baking soda should do the trick!

Yummy Healthy Pasta

Here’s a quick 15 minute recipe.
It’s healthy, delicious and filling!

Fresh tomato and olive pasta
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes
• Pitted kalamata olives (add as many as you like)
• Clove of garlic
• Salt
• Whole grain pasta (3/4 of box) spaghetti

Cooking the pasta

• Boil the water
• Add salt once water is boiling
• Add pasta to water
• Add more salt to pasta
• Take pasta out once ready – should take around 11-15 minutes

Cooking the Sauce

• Dice tomato into smaller pieces
• Cut up garlic into small pieces
• Add oil to a heated pan
• Add garlic
• Then add tomatoes
• Cook until tomatoes get soft
• Take off heat
• Put ingredients into blender or magic bullet until liquid
• Add slat
• Blend together
• Put back to heat
• Cut olives in half
• Add to sauce
• Heat for 5 minutes
• Add sauce to pasta and serve
• Lastly...Enjoy!

Try it out and let me know how you like it!

Simple Salad

This past weekend I went home, which means I get to eat amazing home cooked meals! My mom makes the best food ever, but now so does my brother (oddly enough). So on Monday we were having dinner, and my brother cooked it (so shocking!). It was really good, and I was surprised he could have made such a delicious meal. My favourite thing he made was this salad.

It's a simple twist on you're regular caprese salad.

Simple Salad:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Bocconcini
• Vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Garlic powder
  

*You can even add some kalamata olives for some extra flavour

It's quick and easy to make, just toss everything in a bowl together and your salad is done! It's so delicious and flavourful, you'll want to eat it all the time.

Nutella

OH MY GOODNESS! I LOVE NUTELLA!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have eaten Nutella every single day (I am NOT exaggerating). I used to take my little Nutella toast sandwiches to school, and everyone always used to make fun of me, because they thought I was eating something else (I think you can figure that one out!). They didn't know what it was, but coming from an Italian family, Nutella was common, and an everyday necessity. Nutella is now becoming extremely popular. It is a good source of vitamin E, which is an anti-oxidant, and also helps prevent blood clots and blockages in coronary arteries. Research says that is has the ability to reduce the risk of chronic disease, like heart attacks and some cancers.

Having a tablespoon of Nutella a day is only 100 calories, and a great way to get some vitamin E. You can have it on anything, whole grain bread, waffles, pancakes, and even by itself. It is also a great little snack if you're having a chocolate craving!

Visit http://www.nutella.ca/ for more nutritional information and yummy, yummy, out of this world Nutella RECIPES!

Cheat Days

Cheat Days. Yup, I said it!

Personally, I have cheat days. I think everyone needs them, to keep themselves sane! I don't think I could go a day without a little bit of chocolate, or some kind of sweet. It sounds really bad, and fattening, but it isn't. You just have to watch what you eat. If you're going to have a cheat day everyday, make sure you're having a low calorie treat, and if you're having it once a week, be careful you don't over indulge yourself! I would recommend having a little sweet everyday so you can monitor it better, than a once a week indulgence.

I haven't bought them in a while, but this summer I was constantly buying fudgesicle bars. They are full of flavour (depending on the brand that you buy) and they are low in calories. They are a great treat for a rough day, and a little booster to kick a craving.

Tip:

Try to get the low calorie treats, like the 100 calorie bag of chips, or chocolate bar, or even better 70 calories fudgesicle! (SO DELICIOUS!)

HAPPY CHEATING!

Turbo Jam Update

Since I said I would be giving updates, I decided to do one now.

I have gone off track with my Turbo Jamness! This week I went back home, so I wasn't able to work out! There is a slight pause on my update, but I will sure be able to get you up to speed next week. Ugh, I hate school right now! Its so stressful and it sucks not being able to focus on yourself for even a hour.

Alcohol and the Body

Let's hope this WASN'T you last night!

So I think that this post is fitting to follow my last post about Halloween. For young adults (like myself) and even adults, Halloween is a time to drink and have fun. I went out last night, and I had a couple of drinks, just socially. I didn't get drunk or even buzzed, but I saw a lot of people who were. After studying for my Food and Nutrition class, I realized what I had done to my body, by even putting those two drinks in my system.

So, you're probably asking "why is she worried? why is she freaking out? what's the big deal?"

I'll tell you.

1. Alcohol is empty calories. Great way to gain weight!

2. Brain cells shrinks. Hello stupid!

3. Irreversible harm to vision, memory and learning ability. UMMM. UMMM. Where did I put?

4. Alcohol is absorbed by the liver. The liver can only hold so much alcohol, and only so much damage can be done until it becomes permanent.

5. Long term effects: cancer, heart disease, liver disease/failure, malnutrition and bone deterioration.

Healthy amount of alcohol depends on age and health conditions. In older people a glass or two of red wine a day is okay. It contains antioxidants and can help to reduce heart disease, but too much is not healthy and can cause heart disease.

So please be careful of the amount of alcohol you drink, it has many negative side effects, which I think weigh out the good ones (like getting a good buzz). You can always have fun sober, or if you must drink, don't drink often and don't drink in excess.

C'est L'Halloween!

Today is HALLOWEEN, and I am super excited to be putting on my costume and celebrating it with my friends.


BUT there's only one thing I hate about today is....

CANDY!!!

I always eat too much of it. It's always there just sitting, looking at you, staring, saying "EAT ME, I AM DELICIOUS!"....so then I do.

Have you ever wondered how much candy we consume on Halloween? Click here to find out.

So, if you want to help people like me out, and stop handing out candy and making me eat them, I have suggested some good, healthier alternatives (the kids may not like it, but their parents sure will!)

• apples
• toothbrushes
• flavoured dental floss
• dried fruit
• colouring books
• crayons
• erasers
• stickers

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

TRICK OR TREAT!

Whole Grain or Whole Wheat?

There is a lot of confusion between whole grain and whole wheat. Let me start by saying, whole GRAIN is better for you.

Be careful when shopping for whole grain and whole wheat products. Look at the ingredients and look to see if it says whole wheat flour or whole grain flour.

Whole wheat flour is basically like white bread. There is no nutritional value in whole wheat, because of the process they use to produce it.

Also be aware of pumpernickel bread. You may think it is good for you, BUT it is just the same as white bread. They use molasses to darken the dough, so don't be fooled by its colour!

Turbo Jam Update

Yesterday was my first day doing Turbo Jam, and can I just say...

I AM IN PAIN!!!!!!

.

I feel as though I have worked out every inch of my body. I have a feeling that this program is going to work! (well hopefully!) I am following the recommended diet as well as doing the videos everyday. It's a great and fun way to eliminate stress and feel good about yourself. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

My Own Wrap

Here is a recipe for my new favourite creation.

I love mixing different flavours and foods together, and now I have come up with one I love. It's a quick, easy to make snack and it tastes amazing. My roommate was very skeptical about my creation, but when I made it for her, she feel in love, and asked me to make her more.

Remember these are just the products that I used because I had them on hand. You do not have to use the specific product I used in the recipe. I have included their name's because I was able to figure out the calorie value of the wrap. It is not guaranteed that the wrap you make will be the same amount of calories like mine. You can either have a higher or lower calorie wrap, depending on the condiments you decide to put in it, or take out of it.

My Wrap Creation:
250 calories

1 Dempster's whole grain wrap
1 tbsp of grated Cracker Barrel marble cheese
2 tbsp of Summer Fresh Taziki
1 tbsp of Diana Gourmet Honey Garlic BBQ Sauce
2 tbsp of Great Value pre-cut olives
1 mini cucumber

Remember you can make it your own. You can add ANYTHING else you like. I put hot peppers in my roommates wrap because she loves them. You can add lettuce, tomato, pickles, any condiments you enjoy/like. I used these because they were the only thing I had on hand at the time.

Caloric Value:
Calories = Kcal

Dempster's Whole Grain Wrap = 100 kcal per 1 wrap
Diana Sauce (Gourmet Honey Garlic) = 30 kcal per 1 tbsp
Great Value Pre-cut Olives = 15 kcal per 2 tbsp
Summer Fresh Gluten Free Taziki = 45 kcal per 2 tbsp
Cracker Barrel Marble Cheese = 60 kcal per 1 tbsp

* To eliminate some of the calories, try to use a lower fat cheese. The cheese I used was high in fat, cholesterol and sodium. Be aware of the nutritional values when purchasing products.*

Picture coming soon.

Who Would Have Guessed?

Well, I haven’t really touched on this yet, but as part of a healthy diet, is a healthy lifestyle. Working out is a great way to stay in shape, and also a good way to stay in good health.

I will soon be posting some great workout tips, to get your body into shape, but first, if you’re already working out, here’s a great after-workout drink...

REDBULL!

No, I’m just kidding! It’s chocolate milk!
Yup, that’s right...no kidding around.

Chocolate milk is a great post workout drink. Scientists say that chocolate milk contains carbs that replenish glycogen stores and protein to repair uscles after exercise. It also helps with fluid rehydration, and contains electrolytes (which are put into sports drinks). Electrolytes such as potassium and sodium are lost in sweat. So drink up 15-30 minutes after a workout, and you’ll be good as new!

Oh, and p.s. don’t forget to wipe your mouth after enjoying a class of chocolate milk, you don’t want to be walking around with milkstache!

Click here for more information.

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Turbo Jam

Alright, so this past summer I bought Turbo Jam. I was asking around and I didn’t know if I should buy it or not. I gave in after speaking to a few people who used it.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do it this summer, but I am going to start it now.

I am going to be starting it on Monday. It says I can lose 10 inches in 10 days. I will track my progress and will let you know how it goes. I hope it works. Wish me luck!

Sleeping Foods

Ever wanted to eat the magic apple from Snow White, just to get a bit of rest?
Not falling asleep within 15 minutes of going to bed? Need some help sleeping?

Well get on up and head on over to the kitchen, for some foods that will put you right to sleep.

• Bananas – They act as a muscle relaxant.


• Warm milk – you had it as a child, why not now? Warm milk has some tryptophan, which is an amino acid that has a sedative like effect


• Potatoes – they clear away any acids that can interfere with sleeping


• Chamomile tea – has mild sedating effects


• Almonds – have a dose of muscle relaxing magnesium and as well as tryptophan


• Cherries - have a handful of these an hour before going to bed and you are set. Cherries have high levels of melatonin, a chemical that controls the body’s internal clock to regulate sleep.

Click here for more foods that will help you sleep. Happy Snoozing!

zZzzZZZZzzzZZzzz

OUTFOXED: SHUT UP!

Once again, I am going to stray away from health and nutrition. This post is school related.

In 2004, a documentary was made showcasing Fox Network’s true colours. The documentary is called Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, and the main star is Fox Network’s owner Rupert Murdoch. In my opinion, Fox’s approach to delivering news is pathetic. They use fear to get inside their viewers minds, and as a journalism student, I was taught that that was wrong, and there are other ways of getting the message across. We don’t want to scare people, we want to INFORM them. Fox used its power to elect the former President Bush in 2000, by shedding positive light on his campaign and drilling Bush’s name in their views heads. Fox News is very conservative. Hence the reason they supported the Bush party. I believe that Fox is a very biased station. They are usually one sided and they try to cover up anything bad about themselves and the people and subjects they support. Watching this documentary was upsetting. The bias was so evident, and seeing bias in news (as a future journalist-hopefully) is disgusting. News is not supposed to be one sided. It is supposed to just state the facts, no sugar coating, no spinning, just the hard hitting facts. Studying journalism, we learn how to write for news, how to report the news properly, and how to eliminate bias. Seeing reporters on Fox speak the way they do, seems like they were just pulled out of a conservative convention and tossed in the news studio. It seems like Fox has no ethics, which is another thing that if you study journalism, you are taught. It is disappointing and disturbing seeing people like Fox reporters. Is this what the future of journalism has become?

Fibre...For When You Gotta Go

We all don’t want to talk about it, but it is important. Fibre…It helps us go. We all need fibre in our diets, but most of us don’t get enough of it.

There are two types of fibre: water soluble and water insoluble

What’s the difference and what do they do?

Fibre is good for those trying to maintain or lose weight. It is also said that those who eat fibre have a decreased chance of getting colon cancer.

How much fibre should I be having daily?

How can I add extra fibre into my diet?

Add psyllium seeds to your diet. These can be found in All Bran Buds (which are a great addition to yogurt, cereal, fruit, salads, etc) or you can try a powder like Metamucil. Also eat the recommended foods in the chart above. Be sure to slowly add fibre into your diet (increase 2-5 grams a day, until you've reached the recommended amount). Too much fibre can cause diarrhea, gas, bloating, and intense pain.

So stalk up on your fibre, and see and feel the benefits for yourself!

Malocchio

UPDATE:
If you were wondering what happened with my x-rays…keep wondering. I still haven’t received my results but when I do, I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

SIDE NOTE:
This post isn’t going to be about eating or exercise or health. No, it’s going to be about something called malocchio. Now many do not know what this is, but if you’re Italian or Mediterranean decent, you will most likely know what it is. Malocchio translated is called the “Evil Eye.”

Why am I talking about this?

Well here’s why.

This whole year, I felt like everything was going wrong. I was a rough year for me, and every month something new would always happen. Something bad. It all started in January and since then I have been cursed with misfortune. At first, I thought that 2009 just wasn’t my year. I never really believed in malocchio because I was always the one that said stop being so superstitious to everyone. But something just wasn’t right. Around August, I just felt like nothing was going my way and I was just not feeling like myself. I felt like a weight on my shoulders that just wouldn’t come off. So, just this past weekend I called my Aunt and asked her to one of my older Uncle’s who knows if you have malocchio.

Wait! BACKUP!…What is malocchio?

Malocchio is an ancient belief. People believe that some people are witches, and they put spells on you. Now, they don’t actually have to say some fancy chant and make a potion, but they DO have to do something else. Usually malocchio is placed upon you when someone is envious or jealous of you. For example, someone can say “Oh you have gorgeous hair” with an envious undertone to it, and with that and their envious eye, they curse you to misfortune. (Most people don’t know that they have the “power” to curse another, but others do, and they use it for bad.) After receiving malocchio, some people complain of headaches, others hair loss, sickness, fevers, and just plain bad luck. There are ways to prevent it and reverse it click here to find out how.

So back to my story:

My Aunt called my Uncle, and he confirmed that I had malocchio. I knew it! Everything wasn’t going right and I just felt off. He said other things as well to my Aunt, like I was very sick (which I was with the pneumonia) and a couple of other things that were dead on. He took off the curse, and an hour later I felt much better. My cough had disappeared and the pain in my ribs had subsided.

It’s about time to wrap it up!

I don’t like to believe in superstitions, but I guess everyone has their own. Whether it’s walking under a ladder, or stepping on a crack, or opening an umbrella indoors, superstitions range, and from culture to culture differ. In my family, malocchio is just one superstition that is most likely going to be passed on, like it was to us.

WHAT THE BLEEP?

Ok, so in my last post I didn't want to drag on forever.
So I've decided to tell you a little story that happened.

In my last post I said don't try to diagnose yourself when you're sick, and that I tried and failed. Well here's why...

My roommate had a little cough. So she started taking cough syrup and within 2 days it was gone. But then I had developed a little cough. So I went to the pharmacy thinking "oh it's just what my roommate had, it'll go away too!"

Pharmacy:
... patiently waiting in line...waiting...waiting... FINALLY it was my turn to talk to the pharmacist (YAY!) I told him my problem:

Me: My roommate had a cough and now I have one. I feel like my cough worsens when I'm in my house. We have a cat and I'm allergic, so I think it just might be allergies. What's the best cough syrup?
Pharmacist: Take cough syrup and an allergy medicine at night and you'll be fine.

Alright so I did. But then a week went by and I still had a cough and it was getting worse! So I decided it was time to see my family doctor.

Doctor's office:
Doctor: Inhale...Exhale..Inhale...Exhale.. DEEP BREATH IN and OUT...

...

Doctor: You have bronchitis.
Me: WHAT?
Doctor: You have bronchitis.
Me: Perfect. Thanks.
Doctor: Here are some antibiotics, cough syrup and sleeping pills. You'll be fine within 3 days.

A week later and a half later...
My antibiotics don't seem to be working. Now I start developing a pain just below my chest. What is going on with me? So I go to the school clinic.

School Clinic:
Me: I have bronchitis and I'm on all these pills and medications. And NOW I have a pain below my chest.
Doctor: Hop on up and I'll check you out....DEEP BREATH IN and OUT ... DEEPER BREATH IN and OUT ...
5 minutes later of doing this....
Doctor: Your liver is tender to touch. You don't have bronchitis my dear. You have pneumonia.
Me: A WHAT? (my mom's going to kill me!...and she did)
Doctor: I've already seen another 5 cases today.

So today, I went for x-rays to confirm this. I'm awaiting my results.

Now do you understand why I said not to diagnose yourself!?! Go to the doctor right away, especially with the flu and H1N1 going around. Oh and apparently pneumonia's and bronchitis are going around campus too! So be careful and always sanitize or wash your hands!

Bye Bye Flu

PREVENTING THE FLU...

It's not rocket science, but some people just don't get it.

Preventing the flu is pretty simple...here's how:
__________________________________________________


Step 1:

Wash your hands frequently and properly.
I always follow the steps in the image below, but personally I like to add one more step.Don't throw away the paper right away. I like to open the door with it, then throw it out asap. Many people don't wash their hands after using the washroom, so no matter how hard you scrub or how long you scrub for, the germs will come back and haunt you, as soon as you touch the door handle.



Step 2:

Cough and sneeze into your sleeve, instead of your hand. By coughing or sneezing into your hand, you are spreading your germs around on whatever you touch. Although your parents taught you sharing is caring...germ sharing isn't caring. So please don't share your germs.

Step 3:

Take vitamin C. Make sure you're eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of vitamins and minerals. Drink green tea. Also, eat hot soups to make you feel better if you're feeling sick.

Step 4:

Rest! Stay home if you're feeling sick. You will feel better if you just rest. Stay inside -- read a book, watch TV, creep Facebook, watch some Youtube clips -- just like Frankie says ... RELAX.

Step 5:

Go to the doctor. If you're feeling sick, DO NOT try to self-diagnose yourself! Trust me, I just tried and I FAILED.

Visit http://www.fightflu.ca/ for more details on the H1N1 Flu Virus.

Credits:

Picture - http://swinefluremedies.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/wash-hands.gif

H1N1

This morning I received an email from my university regarding H1N1.
The email (in short) said that, if we have any flu symptoms we have to report ourselves online. The email said we do not need a medical note to confirm this.

HERE'S MY PROBLEM:

So many people can report a fake flu. I can go online right now, and say that I have the symptoms, and I cannot finish any of my assignments or write any of my upcoming tests. I feel that many people are going to be using this as their "get out of school for free" card.


At the beginning of the year, some of my classes spoke to us about the possible H1N1 pandemic that is supposed to hit in October. My professors discussed possible alternatives for assignments and exams. One of my professors said that the university will be shut down and everything will be put online.

So how can we prevent this (or something similar to this) from happening?

...

Well first we need to prevent the flu.

Fast Food

So this is one of my favourite fast meals. I always used to make it in high school. It's a quick and easy recipe.

Here's my story:

I was in a rush to get to my class tonight and didn't know what I was going to cook for dinner. Class was starting in less than an hour and I had to eat before I left home. I remembered that over the weekend I had bought some frozen vegetables. So, I quickly defrosted them in a hot pan. I also had bought some Chinese noodles (they can be found at almost any grocery store). I put on a pot of water to boil for the noodles. In less than 15 minutes, I made a delicious stir-fry meal. I added the noodles to the vegetables and the teriyaki sauce (which comes with the vegetables), and cooked it for just a minute longer - so that the noodles could absorb some of the flavour of the vegetables and sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Green Giant Teriyaki Stir-Fry
• 2 cups of thin Chinese noodles (rice noodles)

Quick Tips:

• The Green Giant Teriyaki Stir-Fry is very high in sodium and sugar (I realized that after I bought it). What I suggest is either getting fresh cut-up vegetables - most grocery stores have them now for stir-fry's - or get frozen vegetables that don't already have the teriyaki sauce (or any sauce for that matter) and add the teriyaki sauce (or sauce of your choice) on your own, so you can monitor the amount you use.

Credits:

• Stir-fry picture: http://www.rd.ca/cms/images/image/StirFry_291_20080818-144852.jpg
  

Butternut Squash Soup

So...Fall is here already (unfortunately), and I decided to kick off my first recipe post with a Fall soup. It is deliciously creamy and warms you right up! My mom bought a large butternut squash the other day and was asking me to find the perfect recipe for her...and I did. This is the original recipe I found, but I tweaked a little. Click here to visit the recipe website.

Ingredients:

• Butternut squash: 4 Baby Butternut squash or 1 large ( about 6 cups)
• Chicken bouillon : 5 cubes or single packages
• Onion: 1 medium
• Olive Oil: 1 tbsp
• Cream: 1/2 cup*
• Water: 4 cups**
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg: (optional)
• Parsley: to garnish (optional)
• Garlic toast : (optional)

Directions:

• Wash and cut the butternut squash(s) in half.
• Roast the butternut squash(s) cut side down on a sheet in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then scoop out the prepared squash.
• In a large saucepan, Slice and saute the onion in olive until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Bring to boil and cook for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.
• Puree squash mixture in a blender batches until smooth and then return to saucepan.
• Before serving, add cream and heat through. Do not allow to boil.
• Garnish with parsley and serve with garlic toast.

* : The amount of cream in this recipe depends on how rich you prefer your soup. Taste the soup before adding the whole amount. Cream can also be substituted with milk for a healthier recipe. **: This portion can also be easily changed depending on how thick or runny your prefer your soup.

Quick Tips:

• Most grocery stores will sell squash already pre-cut and washed. Buying squash pre-cut is a great way to save time and less stress on your hands (squash is very hard to cut!).
• In my recipe, I used 2% milk - you can use 1% or skim, which ever you have on hand.

Welcome

Hey Everyone!

First off, I would like to say thank you for visiting my blog. I am excited to be in this blogging class because I've been meaning to start a blog, but never got around to actually writing one. The future is fast approaching and technology and communication now is changing.

My blog is about cheap healthy eating and I've decided to call it CHEat Yourself To Good Health (Cheap-Healthy-Eat = CHEat). I am in a food and nutrition course, and thought I would combine the two courses together. My blog will not strictly be about food. I will give nutrition tips and exercise tips as well. Once a month I plan on going to a resturant in London, and write up a little resturant review on it. I hope you all enjoy it and hopefully my blog will help you get on the right track with your health!