Health is Wealth

Well, the season is officially here and approaching quickly! Next week is Christmas! I've been so caught up in school lately that I truly need a break. I need time away from all the hustle and bustle of studying, reading, memorizing, and critical-thinking. Don't get me wrong - I love what I study, and I wouldn't have it any other way. But there is no denying that this term has been super busy. To have some time off means that I can rejuvenate myself . I can relax for a week or so and not feel the need to study for an exam. I can finally finish the novel that I began reading last summer. I can catch up on some advocacy work that I've been doing. I can watch a couple of movies, go shopping, connect with friends, pamper myself, and more. In reality, there is probably much more that I want to do during this break than what I will actually get done. But, at least it is a break...and for that, I am SUPER thankful! You know what's interesting? I've never be...

It's nearly December! You know what that means? CHRISTMAS! I love this time of the year. It truly is magical, for so many reasons. For one thing, I love hearing Christmas music on the radio. I love seeing lights and decorations. I love the Christmas shopping you can do in stores. The list goes on and on. But do you know what is super special about this time? T he feelings of joy, comfort, solidarity, and compassion. It is amazing to see so many charitable initiatives that occur around Christmas time, such as donating toys to the Salvation Army, helping people in need, joining soup kitchens, finding clothes for the homeless, and so forth. Christmas is about Christ's birth. He came into the world to save us. He gave Himself for us. Welcoming Christ in our world means that we need to be humble. We need to open our arms and homes to Him. That is what Christmas is about. And that is why helping others, especially during this time, is so precious.  We are so fo...

There is so much going on in the world today. From political issues to world hunger, from cancers to illnesses, from human rights to tragedies, from income disparities to unexpected losses... It can get quite depressing, to be honest. I mean, when was the last time you heart some GOOD news on the TV or radio? There is not much to go around, it seems. One thing that I wanted to highlight, however, is that there is a lot of good going on in the world today. There are neighbours who help their friends pay their debts when they cannot afford it. There are random strangers who pay for the coffee for the person ahead of them in drive-through. There are happy stories where a lost child is once again found. There are cases of human rights prevailing, of cancers being cured, of countries supporting others, of people going into rehab and feeling better, and so forth. But we don't hear about them often...and remember that the news picks and chooses what news they actually tell us. For...

It is Thanksgiving in Canada today! While we really should be thankful each and everyday of our lives, today is a special day to take some time to actually THINK about what you are thankful for. A lot of times in our lives (let's be honest...), we become caught up in our worries and struggles that we fail to realize how much we have to be thankful for. We truly are blessed in so many ways...but it is hard to remember when we are frustrated or experiencing troubles. Please take some time today to relax and be thankful! When I think about how many blessings I have, it makes me happy. As I thought today of simple things, I realized that I am simply thankful for even the sunshine outside - it lightens up my day. Or to have a house to sleep in at night, to protect me from the rain or cold. Or to have enough food and water - which many people lack. To have family and friends who truly care about me and are there to support me. To be able to study what I love best and to feel that I...

Last time, we talked about the importance of positive thinking. This post will be about specific thoughts or strategies that we can use to think positive or be optimistic. Of course, some of us have difficulty imagining that we will be 'talking positive' to ourselves. But it really isn't all that strange - you need not say these things out loud. Sometimes, even silently thinking to yourself can be a major mood-booster. I'll give you an example. Last week, I was extremely frustrated and overwhelmed. I was busy with exams, classes, gatherings, friends, meetings, and more. And I wanted it all to just STOP. I wanted to run away from everything. For everything to just stop being loud, busy, and hectic all the time. I wanted to quit everything. What kept me going? After I vented my feelings to my family and close friends, I realized something important: I was busy. Yes. But I was doing what I loved. I was busy with things that I loved. I was busy achieving my...

This post is going to be the first post in a series I've decided to call  'POP' - The Power of Positivity. Why POP ? Well, honestly, it's an easy acronym to remember. But let's just say that when you think positive, you'll feel more happy and motivated - and this will make you POP with energy, ready to face whatever life throws your way! (Corny? Yes. Catchy? Yes. Will you remember it? Yes. I rest my case). "Be positive! Think positive!" Two commonly said phrases that are meant to encourage us to remain optimistic as much as possible. I'll let you in on a little secret: when I feel down and hear these sentences, the last thing I can ever do is think positive. Imagine this: you've had a long, tiring day. You are behind on so much work. You had a fight with someone you care about. You feel a cold coming on. Your bills need to get paid, your laundry done, food cooked, and house cleaned. And now you have a headache starting. Oh, and tomor...

Have you ever felt so tired and frustrated , wanting only to get away from everything and relax - and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?! Have you ever felt lazy, unable or unmotivated to get up and get your work done...despite being incredibly busy?  I'll let you in on a secret: I have a love/hate relationship with being busy. I hate being busy because then I feel overwhelmed, tired, overworked, and exhausted.  But I also love being busy - because at these moments, I feel productive, motivated, and energetic.  Weird, isn't it? I'm certain we've all had similar experiences at times.  So...what's up with this paradoxical love/hate with laziness, busyness, and rest? Why is it that we can feel so angry with being busy...but when we are suddenly free, we feel irritated with nothing to do? On a similar note, what's the deal with laziness and rest - are they ultimately the same thing - or are they different? Head on over to Fr. Anthony's website, ...

I'm going to share a secret with you: I'm not the craziest and wildest person out there. Sure, I love trying new things. But I become skeptical. If it's dangerous, I would rather not do it. If I can die, I'll pass. If it'll make me wish I had never done it, I won't even try it.  I suppose this isn't a bad thing. After all, it keeps me from getting hurt, from taking dangerous risks, etc. But I've come to see that sown times, I can have my own kind of 'adventure' or new experience without making myself completely uncomfortable or unsafe .  Like last week. I actually drove a Segway for the first time in my life. I've seen those things on TV and always thought that it would be awesome to ride one, but when would I ever get that chance? Well, when I finally got the chance last week, I nearly backed out. I got onto the Segway and felt horrified. I was going to fl off, break my bones, and regret the decision.  But something inside of...

All of us, one time or another, have had some kind of illness that we've needed treatment or help for. Remember when you had that nasty cold and that tiring fever? Maybe your doctor told you to take some Advil to calm the fever down. Or what about the time when your knee hurt like crazy, and you simply needed some ice to soothe the inflammation? It's great when prescribed treatments work, isn't it? But what about when they ARE NOT effective? What happens then? We get frustrated, angry, and feel helpless. We don't understand how or why the treatment isn't working. What happens now? Well, usually the doctor will tell you to try something different. Maybe the Advil didn't work for the fever. Maybe a cold cloth will do. Maybe the ice didn't help your knee - maybe some Tylenol will work. Maybe none of this work, and you'll need to try something different yet again.  Why does this happen? Why can't we just seek treatment for a health issue; an...

I'm very blessed to have graduated a couple of weeks ago with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing! What a fabulous day! On top of that, I was chosen to be Valedictorian ! (This is basically a position or title where you represent the graduating class, have high academic achievements, extensive extra-curricular involvements, etc. The Valedictorian delivers a speech during the ceremony that is meant to inspire others). You can watch my Valedictory address here! When McMaster University's online newspaper, the Daily News, asked me to state my biggest accomplishment source of pride, I replied that it was my book, Recipe for Recovery. This prompted them to inquire about what it was about, which led to my sharing my story about ED. Soon enough, they wanted to interview me for the McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences Achievements page. They then shared my story with local media...and before I knew it, I was asked to do a TV interview, a radio show, and a newspaper interview! Y...

Remember this post  that summarized some things I have blogged about on ED and brain changes or findings? Well, now we have a new addition to the list. This study, recently published, explored the relationship between the loss of a certain gene and similar 'ED-like' behaviours that follow . (For those interested in scientific terms, the loss of a gene is also known as a mutation). See this link  for a summary of this study. The researchers looked at mice and an estrogen-related receptor alpha. or ESRRA. By the way, don't worry about the name of the gene - that's not as important as the results of the study. The loss of ESRRA caused the mice to have less motivation to find and consume high-fat foods, despite being hungry. In a previous study , researchers found that individuals with anorexia also show decreased levels of ESRRA in their brains. What does this tell us? Well, think about it. Low ESRRA caused mice to not have enough motivation or desire to seek out and ...

One of my greatest blessings is being able to use my story to help others. My hope is that my experience with ED can teach others about mental health, ED, treatment, prevention, and identification. My book and blog have been instrumental to this, as they allow anyone all over the world to learn about my journey. The interviews that I do are another way to advocate. And a few months ago, I was asked to give a presentation to medical students at McMaster university . (Note that this presentation occurred in November 2014, but I have only just now had a chance to post it!) The focus of this presentation was to share my journey and shed some light on EDs. This was a wonderful opportunity. It strikes me how sparse education on EDs is in the healthcare field. In my presentation, I highlighted the signs and symptoms of ED, diagnosis information, treatment goals, and the process of supporting recovery. Although I have this presentation to future physicians, the information in it is...