Banning junk food advertising may have little effect on reducing obesity
A new study from the University of Alberta challenges the notion that advertising junk food is at the root of the obesity epidemic. Growing up in a low social-economic environment is more of a precursor to obesity later in life than junk food advertising, according to the report, with adults who grew up in a…
Juanita Gnanapragasam plans to use her career to help people achieve good health and wellness
Juanita Gnanapragasam isn’t the type to restrict herself to one interest, to study just one topic. She believes her varied passions and expertise will figure in her work toward her career and life goal – to build a community where everyone can thrive. She knows now that she doesn’t have to limit herself, something she…
And putting a stop to those negative thoughts that seem to be overwhelming you
It’s been a tough week. I get it. And you’re caught up in a relentless loop of doomsday dwelling. Perhaps feeling that doom-and-gloom mindset has taken up permanent residency. But what if someone told you you could control your thoughts (your brain) and put a stop to those negative thoughts that seem to be overwhelming…
There’s nothing more significant than living with meaning
There’s nothing more significant than living with meaning. This is the concept pondered by the Jewish psychiatrist Viktor Frankl as he struggled to remain alive for three years in Nazi concentration camps. Frankl established the groundwork for his psychological theory on the importance of finding meaning in life before he was sent to Auschwitz. He…
By creating a moral code and changing perceptions, you can better direct your life into what you want
It’s often said that life is synopses with challenges. If everything were black and white and went how we expected it to turn out, would it be worth living? You may find it difficult to see the bright side of things, and challenges may become too difficult to bear or handle. There are a variety…
Accepting that you can fail leads you to handling failure during a competition
As an athlete, coach and sports fan, I’ve long been enamoured with the subject of confidence in sports, more specifically, how you get it and maintain it. I’ve been equally enamoured with the phenomenon of choking in the sports arena. Why do our minds sometimes sabotage our efforts to perform well by feeding us self-doubt…
Can be a trigger for both grief and healing in people coping with the loss of a loved one
When Donna Wilson pulled up to visit her aunt and uncle on their farm near Eatonia, Sask., a few years ago, she came across a comical scene: Her uncle Doug was running around the yard chasing turkeys. The birds kept jumping up on his dog and he was trying to shoo them away with a broom. It’s…
Literacy lessons tailored to early grade-schoolers with reading difficulties show promising results
As educators around the world assess how school disruptions and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic have affected students, a project led by a University of Alberta researcher is showing that targeted interventions can help make up for learning loss among students with reading difficulties and set them up for educational success later on. George…
A positive substitute to negativity and pessimism
“I should stop watching the news.” My husband and I utter this phrase several times a week and have been doing so since late March 2020. Sure, we’re curious what the weather is doing, but the daily bombardment of headlines designed to alarm and provoke us has become something to be avoided. Each headline seems…
It’s important not to lose your cool. A public outcry can leave you looking like an angry toddler
Faith Wood knows how to resolve conflict. Her years in front-line law enforcement taught her how to effectively de-escalate any situation to a successful conclusion. Faith will use her knowledge of conflict management to guide you through the often stressful experiences you may encounter in your personal or professional life. Her Conflict Coach column appears…