Health and wellness: A holistic approach to staying healthy this season

This fall has been a time of transition — from schools reverting to in-person learning to workplaces welcoming employees back to the office full-time or in a hybrid capacity. But this time of the year is also known for shorter daylight hours, cooler temperatures and flu season, so it's more important than ever that we take care of ourselves mentally and physically. 

Three TMU experts share some advice about the best ways to protect your health and wellness during this transitional period. With tips for how to guard your mental health, to foods to keep you on your A-game, and how to manage your work-life balance — our experts have you covered.

Amma Gyamfowa, Social Work (MA) ’18, is a mental health therapist and registered social worker. She has been engaged in social work for the last nine years, with her work rooted in supporting and engaging individuals, families, and communities across the Greater Toronto Area. She is the founder and lead clinical therapist of Womanist Healing (external link, opens in new window)  and is determined to create empowering holistic resources that strengthen individuals’ abilities to heal, thrive and connect.

As the seasons change, our practices of self-care that maintain our wellness require extra attention. Here, Amma shares five ways to embark on protecting your mental and emotional health this winter:

1. Mental Wealth Toolbox

Your mental wealth toolbox consists of the resources that allow your mental health to thrive. Start by reflecting and taking an inventory check of actions and supports that have aided you in the past. In addition, identify triggers during the winter months that create significant barriers to your wellness. Next, dig into the resources that can enhance your well-being and respond directly to these triggers. Finally, speak to your family doctor, therapist and other resources for added preventative measures. 

2. Activity is Key 

Exercise is our greatest natural remedy against stress and anxiety because releasing endorphins energizes our mood. This integration of physical activity within your wellness plan will have your mind and body grounded for the season. Start small – it can be something as simple as a daily walk!

3. Take Advantage of Golden Hours

The sun promotes our serotonin levels, which enables a significant boost in our mood and regulates our emotions. So, my professional recommendation is to put on your jacket and get outside! Getting natural sunlight while we have it during the day can curb some of the deficits we face during the brutal winter months. Additionally, purchasing sun lamps can provide access to the sun's rays in your physical space. 

4. Keep Nurturing Connections

The colder months often have us inside, but this can become a recipe for isolation and loneliness. So despite the cold, try to find ways to stay connected in person and virtually to your social networks to stay well. We thrive in connection and community!

5. Sprinkle a little Winter Joy

Part of the difficulty we face in the winter months is the ongoing longing we feel for the summer's warm embrace. Find activities that make this season joyful! Although we may not love the cold, learning to cultivate joy within it can create some ease over the next few months. This can mean finding activities such as skating and other winter festivities that you can do alone or as a bonding exercise with your loved ones. Engaging in activities that reflect the season may allow you to create new traditions and practices that sprinkle some much needed joy and excitement in your life. 

Rena Mendelson (MS, DSc, RD) has taught in the School of Nutrition at TMU for more than thirty years. She teaches the Nutrition and Metabolism course, Communications and a senior seminar course on energy balance. She was director of the school and has also served at the university as the associate vice president academic and first dean of Graduate Studies. Mendelson was the principal investigator of the Ontario Food Survey and is working on a study of the Canadian landscape of nutrition marketing of foods. 

Food is fuel. From our energy to our mood levels, what we eat matters and impacts all areas of life. Read on for healthy eating tips from School of Nutrition Professor Rena Mendelson to stay on your A game!

Everyone’s relationship to food varies and can change dramatically when schedules get busier, especially with the start of work or school. Planning ahead can help foster good eating habits that leave time for work and save money.

Tips to eat right:

1. Choose a variety of foods; there are no foods with superpowers that offer a shortcut to health. Whole foods provide different profiles of nutrients and health benefits. Eating a variety of foods gives you a better range of nutrients as well as eating pleasure to support a healthy appetite.
2. Plan regular meals each day and take healthy snacks with you so that you have a nutritious source of energy when hunger strikes and good food is not available.
3. Use water to quench your thirst and ensure good hydration. Drinking water instead of sweetened drinks saves money and reduces sugar intake
   
4. Maintaining a healthy food intake requires awareness of your energy needs and appetite; eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. If you are out to eat, you are not obligated to finish your plate; split an order of food or take the leftovers home for another day.
5. Food skills are essential for life. You can learn the basics of meal planning, shopping and food preparation by watching others in the kitchen or on videos. Try new recipes, ensure your pantry is well stocked, and optimize your meal intake for health throughout your life. Maintaining healthy habits is a long-term process, not a quick fix.
6. Toronto is famous for its many interesting cuisines. Get out and enjoy exploring the restaurants, markets and food trucks that offer a variety of eating experiences.

This section was taken from an article by Tania Ulrich which appeared in TorontoMet Today on October 06, 2022.

Michael Halinski is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the Ted Rogers School of Management. He studies organizational change, engagement, and work-life topics. His research has appeared in several journals such as the Management Decision, British Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Change Management, and Criminal Justice and Behavior. Additionally, his work has been featured in many Canadian news outlets. 

Over the past few years, there have been numerous significant changes that have impacted how most people balance their work and life. Halinski shares some tips on how you can manage and maintain your work and life.

1. Establish boundaries

With the world transitioning towards more remote and hybrid work, the boundaries between work and life are becoming skewed. Establishing one's boundaries between work and life can help ensure that the negatives from one aspect of your life (i.e., a domain) don't negatively impact another element. Temporal boundaries can be established by starting and ending work at the same time each day or telling people what your work (and not work) hours are. Physical boundaries can be established with physical objects that remind you of your domain. This might include work clothing, turning your phone to silent, and walls separating a home office or an office desk. 

2. Establish routines

Routines can also help establish boundaries when they are less defined (some of us work remotely and don't have the luxury of a home office). Routines can be rituals you perform at the start and end of each transition from work to life (or vice versa). This routine might be a commute, a dog walk, reviewing material before a meeting, etc. The important thing is that the more consistently you perform these routines, the more they will help you transition between domains.

3. Don’t do it alone

There's a growing understanding that we don't operate as individuals. Most work is performed in teams, so why not work-life balance? If you are married, you're likely to develop strategies where one partner helps the other partner (and vice versa) by trading off childcare or home care when it is a busy time at work. If you're not married, you may benefit from finding someone (family member, boyfriend, girlfriend, or neighbour) to help you with challenging tasks. My mom, for example, has her neighbour shovel her driveway in the winter, and, in return, she'll make them pies during the holidays. 

Whether you focus on your mental health, nutrition, work-life balance or you choose to target all three areas — prioritizing your well-being is the most important thing you can do. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself because doing so means you can be at your best for your loved ones.