Creating a Healthy Campus Campaign

Volunteer with First Year Learning Communities (FLC)

2010-03-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a blurb from the FLC website that allows students to volunteer for a couple of days to assist with the FLC March Break Open House.

How much do you love FLC? Do you want to share your enthusiasm for FLC with prospective U of T students? If so, we need your help. On Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19 we need volunteers to help at the U of T March Break Open House events. Your assistance would be needed from 9:30am to 12:00pm. You will get a FLC t-shirt, FLC button, AND a sandwich voucher for lunch! If you’re interested, please email adam.doyle@utoronto.ca as soon as possible.

Visit the FLC website to learn more!
http://www.flc.utoronto.ca/current/current_index.htm

It's tax time again!

2010-03-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program is a program that allows people with lower incomes to receive help with filing their taxes. Since most students fit into the low income category by virtue of being a full-time student, UTSU offers this FREE service on campus to our members.

http://www.taxclinic.utsu.ca/

Wellness Symposium

2010-03-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

U.T.S.U. is hosting a Wellness Symposium from March 22-24 at various locations. For more details please visit http://www.utsu.ca/section/1

Effective ways to relax...?

2010-03-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Are you taking advantage of the great weather we've been having? Ever considered taking a study break by taking a walk? Sometimes that really helps calm the nerves!

What other ways do you like to relax? Share your thoughts!

no more excuses for couch potatoes!

2010-03-04T21:12:00.000-08:00

As we learn from the winter olympics over the last two weeks, it is true that many of us enjoy watching TV shows of anykind which typically involves minimal physical activity. Here nutritionist Joy Bauer introduces us how to work out while we are catching up with the latest episodes of our favourite shows! It doesn't involve any special instruments, pretty hands on exercise like marching and jogging in place. You will be amazed by how much extra calories that would eventually turn into! So there she left us no more excuses for not burning our calories off!

PS. as for those yet-to-be-survived-through-midtermers, try the work-out plan while you're going through lecture recordings, perhaps? :P

CHECK IT OUT!

2010-03-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

Treating yourself to a Face Mask!

2010-03-04T17:18:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of you are probably quite stressed out right now (when are we not?) from all the midterms, assignments, projects while balancing all the non-academics. What happened when I'm stressed, I get zits ... you know from all the unhealthy food choice and lack of sleep ; )

I find a honey and oatmeal face mask really helps ; )
Give it a shot. Here is a really simple recipe I found: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Honey-and-Oatmeal-Face-Mask

Hopefully, this mask will help you all stay beautiful ALL the time =)

Funny You Tube Science Videos!

2010-03-01T09:38:00.000-08:00

Here are some hilarious You Tube science videos that I'm sure Life Sci students will enjoy! Kudos to Kugan for these finds :)

Regulating genes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k_oKK4Teco&NR=1
Plasma Membrane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1KXibLIOGY
Hi, Meiosis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hKBHUaPo3I&feature=related
Synaptic Cleft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZundDVPIYw&feature=related
------
Large Hadron- bit on the extreme side of Physics probably difficult to write in terms of
lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM
-------
PCR song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5yPkxCLads

Getting Laughs out of Study Breaks

2010-02-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

So we're all hard workers here, I'm sure. But why not take a study break once in awhile? And what better way to do it than taking the time to chill and laugh a bit? We all know that staying stressed out is no good for our health.

I direct you to the webcomic Piled Higher & Deeper, at http://www.phdcomics.com/, which some of you may have heard about. Granted, it pokes humor primarily at grad school and grad students, but hey, any student can commiserate with deadlines and piles of schoolwork, I say.

Enjoy!

Do you eat crap?

2010-02-24T17:32:00.000-08:00

Very interesting and equally entertaining video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSuSWUsrFFw&feature=player_embedded

Enjoy!

Cooking on a Budget?

2010-02-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

Learn to cook quick vegetarian meals on a budget! Join other UofT students at Baldwin Room, International Student Centre on March 3, 3:30-5:00pm.

Pick up some practical cooking tips or amazing recipes from different parts of the world. Spaces are limited so please remember to register now!
http://www.familycare.utoronto.ca/events/workshops.html

On Sustainability & Manufactured Landscapes...

2010-02-21T22:18:00.000-08:00

What about it??

Situated right in the heart of downtown Toronto, the U of T (St.George) campus knows a thing or 2 about manufactured landscapes. Part of it, surrounded by it, learning to live with it and possibly even love it...the latter directly impacts the Health of Our Campus, and consequently our own!

It might be worth it to actually check out Edward Burtynsky's documentary being screened at Innis Town Hall this Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 (7 pm) for a fresh new perspective on things-waste in particular.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=295931526055&ref=mf

Also, check out the sustainable energy fair taking place on March 12th, 10:30 am-4:30 pm (Great Hall, Hart House)!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=316519384614&ref=mf

Want your manuscript to be published?

2010-02-20T13:29:00.000-08:00

The Journal of Undergraduate Life Sciences (JULS) gives life science students at the University of Toronto an opportunity to publish their work in a peer-reviewed undergraduate journal. The upcoming issue of this journal will be out in April 2010. If you want your paper to be published in the next issue, be sure to submit your abstract by October =)

The Charter of Compassion

2010-02-18T18:46:00.001-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wktlwCPDd94

Food for thought!

Textbook - Rebate please.

2010-02-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

Interesting idea: Courses with textbooks authored by professors that teach the course - Ask for a rebate !

I quote Professor Ian Ayres from Yale Law school, “So students, if your professor has asked you to buy his or her book, ask for a rebate. A small way to make professors more sensitive about the price of the books they are assigning is to think about the royalties they are generating for themselves.”

Here is the link to the rest of article as it appears on Yale OP-Ed:
Yale Law School

This is an interesting idea so any opinions on this issue:
should professors give rebates for the books they author
and use in courses they teach. It eliminates the inherent
question as to whether it is indeed the best book for the
course and not simply chosen to increase the professors
profit.

--Kugan

Hilarious! .... and educational, Dr. Clarke's H1N1 Rap

2010-02-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gwUdmPl0bU

Career Choice and Your Personality

2010-02-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

Some of us at U of T have known what we wanted our future career(s) to be since day one. But for the majority of us (myself included), we are still going through the motions, trying to find any clues available that might give us insight into our future. The U of T Career Centre is offering a chance for students to write the Myers Briggs for only $15. This is a rare opportunity because if you wanted to write this test after graduating from U of T it is VERY expensive. So head to the Career Centre for this workshop and sign up!

Career Choice & Your Personality - Fri Feb 26

Gain insight into your personality and generate a list of potentially satisfying career areas to explore. Sign up at the Career Centre or call 416.978.8010 by Friday February 19th, 2010 to register. Please Note: You also need to write the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) at the Career Centre by 5:00pm on Friday February 19th, 2010 in order to attend the workshop. The personality assessment takes about 30-40 minutes and there is a $15 administrative fee for scoring purposes.Workshop Date: Friday February 26, 2010 from 11:30am-1:00pm

Good luck!

-Tasha

FOOD JUSTICE Unconference!

2010-02-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

This was the amazing Food Justice Unconference that took place last Friday at the ISC, with a delicious dinner provided by the HOT YAM!

Check out their blog & become a part of the Food Justice Initiative! It affects us all!

http://blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca/foodjustice/2009/12/22/so-we-finally-have-a-blog-please-contribute/

Cardiovascular Risk

2010-02-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

As a Pharmacy Student doing my rotation in a community pharmacy, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to run a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment Clinic.

Here are some key recommendations I give to my clients to address some of the key risk factors in developing strokes or heart diseases:

Age --> sorry, nothing I can do about it
Gender--> again, nothing I can do about it

There are things that you can modify to decrease the risk...
Diabetes --> lifestyle modification (exercise, less sugary food, alcohol)
High blood pressure --> lifestyle modification (exercise, less salty food)
High total cholesterol --> lifestyle modification (exercise, less french fries)
Smoking --> talk to your pharmacist about quitting =)

Some TIPs:
Most people who have low HDL (the good cholesterol) can increase it by...
1) Doing more exercise
2) Have more omega-3 in their diet (salmon fish, or if you're a vegetarian, try having flax seeds, walnuts)

=)

It's that time of year again...

2010-02-04T15:17:00.000-08:00

SUPER BOWL SEASON, or as I consider it, my second Christmas!

With this year’s Super Bowl consisting of a showdown between the two best teams in the NFL, The Indianapolis Colts and The New Orleans Saints, we are sure many of you already have plans to watch the game at a bar or at home. Although beer, chips and wings are the dietary staple of the traditional Super Bowl party, we here at the Healthy U Crew have some healthier snack suggestions for those of you hosting or attending a Super Bowl party. These alternatives are easy to find at your local grocery store and won’t put a strain on your wallet. OH and did we mention they’re delicious!

• Veggies and hummus dip. This Middle-Eastern dip can be store bought and tastes delicious with all sorts of vegetables!

• Substitute chips on your shopping list with popcorn. Not only does a bag of lightly buttered popcorn have less fat per serving, it is also a great source of fibre!

• Homemade Guacamole with whole wheat flatbread. Guacamole is made of avocados that are full of essential nutrients for the body. Avocados taste good with almost everything so we suggest you try and make your own guacamole. You can personalize it to your own taste and impress your friends with your great ‘cooking’ skills! A simple guacamole recipe only requires two avocados, garlic, olive oil, lemon, tomatoes, salt and hot sauce (for those who like it spicy!)

• Pizza is the easiest food to order and fits perfectly within the student budget. Just remember that most pizza chains offer the option of whole wheat crust free of charge. This is a great way to make your meal more nutritious without sacrificing taste. And we can assure you your guests will have no idea! We also suggest following the two veggies to one protein ratio, because you can’t forget about your 5-10 servings of fruits and veggies!

• FINALLY you need to celebrate your team’s sweet victory with some dessert! A fruit tray is always a healthy option but for the chocolate lovers out there, we suggest a homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe that proved to be a hit among our families over the Christmas holidays: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/oatmeal_chocolate_chip_cookies.php

Create your own trend this year and provide healthy and nutritious snacks at your Super Bowl party! May the best team win!!!!

P.S. We would love to hear from you so let us know how you plan to add healthy alternatives to your Super Bowl party menu!

Unwind at New College

2010-02-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

Stressed about midterms? On Feb 3, come to New College cafeteria with your friends to play video games after 5pm! Xbox360 and Rockband set will be available.

more details at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=264573859258

SNOW TRIP!!!!

2010-02-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

Hey everone!
if you guys have nothing better to do in reading week and feel like having a little fun checkout ski and snowboarding club on facebook. They are going to Mt. St. Anne during the reading week. Its going to be a fun and exciting trip!!! Be physically active during the break! Check out their group in facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=2224617499
-Taban:)

Old tests/class notes/recordings to ease your stress!

2010-02-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some great places to find past tests/notes/recordings for you classes.

http://www.uthub.com/uthub/forum/logme.php Lecture notes and recordings

http://eres.library.utoronto.ca/ Past exam repository, you can access this by logging into your portal and clicking the link on the left hand side located on a task bar.

Also check out the BIOME website and your faculty's student association website (eg. for Psychology the association is the PSA http://psa.psych.utoronto.ca/) they usually post old exams and tests for that specific faculty.

Hope this helps!! Goodluck on your midterms everyone.

-Tasha

Oliver's Healthy Campus!

2010-01-10T23:15:00.000-08:00

Healthy Campus Booth @ the Health Fair!

2009-12-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

HEALTH FAIR!

2009-11-23T09:00:00.001-08:00

Make sure you check out the Health Fair:

-->Wednesday, November 25th (Bahen Center Lobby) 3:00-7:00 pm.

There will be lots of info, and a ton of FREE giveaways so don't miss out! Remember to stop by and say hi to the Healthy U Crew!

CAMPUS EATS

2009-11-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool map of campus eats, provided by U of T food services! Lots of useful info!

http://www.foodmap.utoronto.ca/Default.aspx

Eating vegan at the hot yam!

2009-11-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

http://thevarsity.ca/articles/22482

Survey Link !!!

2009-11-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

Follow the link! HAVE YOUR SAY! (super-brief, 3 questions only)

Click Here to take survey

EARTHCYCLE (Car-free day at Hart House Circle)

2009-10-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

2009-10-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

2009-10-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

Campaign Kickoff!

2009-09-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

Today marked the first day the Healthy U Crew began our quest to learn about the health of the U of T campus. We had a table set up in the Koffler Student Centre handing out short surveys to allow students to share their opinions with us, as well as a Graffiti Wall where students could freely comment on what they thought would make a healthier campus.

We got a great student response and we hope to see many more of you in the upcoming days! The Healthy U Crew will remain situated in the Koffler Student Centre outside of the bookstore - I should mention, we're giving out freebies, such as sticky notes and other goodies. We look forward to getting feedback and ideas on how we can fostering a healthy campus.

Creating a Healthy Campus

2009-09-14T11:54:00.000-07:00