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Overview of Financial Wellness

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What is Financial Wellness?

Financial wellness isn’t how much money in a person’s bank account, or the number of years left on their mortgage. A person with high financial wellness is confident about a wide range of financial issues, including budgeting, retirement plans, investments, debts, and insurance (Manulife, 2016).

It’s quite possible for a person with high income to have low financial wellness. These high earners may not be planning for the future, they’re not working towards paying offs their debt, or they may be constantly worrying about money. Conversely, a person with low income may have high financial wellness. For instance, a young adult, just starting in the workforce and not earning a high salary, may have high financial wellness because they’ve educated themselves, they budget, and they’ve started saving for retirement (Manulife, 2016). 

Benefits and Consequences to High and Low Levels of Financial Wellness

The concrete benefits of high financial wellness can be having a well-funded retirement savings plan, due to diligent budgeting and appropriate investing, and having few debts, due to paying down debts and having manageable mortgage debt. Some examples of abstract benefits are little to no stress about retirement, fewer financial worries, and more overall confidence (Manulife, 2016).

Conversely, the consequences of low financial wellness can be a poorly funded retirement savings plan, inadequate insurance, and their associated stress. Another consequence is that it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. People who have low levels of financial wellness tend to score poorly across most categories, such as retirement planning, insurance protection, and finance-related stress in their lives (Manulife, 2016).

How Employers Can Benefit From Supporting Employees’ Financial Wellness

Employers can benefit from being able to accurately assess their employees’ level of financial wellness so that they can be effective in helping support their employees and positively impact their workplace engagement. When employees are offered, and more importantly take advantage of, the tools to become more financially stable they can become less anxious, more engaged in their work, and better workplace contributors. There can also be a ripple effect where employees pass these positive attitudes on to their colleagues (Manulife, 2016).

When tools, such as retirement saving plans, insurance products, and access to advice and education in the workplace, employees typically recognize that their employer is actively supporting them. Employers who are seen as positively contributing to their employees’ financial wellness will develop a reputation for supporting employees, which will help them retain valuable employees and gain an upper hand in the competition for top talent (Manulife, 2016). 

Resources at Dalhousie

If you are interested in becoming more financially well, there are resources at the University that can help. Seminars on financial topics are organized throughout the month of April 2017. Visit http://events-tm.dal.ca to view the upcoming schedule. Don’t forget that Dal’s Employee and Family Assistance Program offers financial supports that can get you on the right track. Check out the website for more information: https://www.workhealthlife.com.

 

Reference:

Manulife. (2016). Employee financial wellness and its impact on Canadian businesses. Retrieved from file:///Users/malcolmscott/Downloads/financial%20unwellness%20makes%20a%20difference%20at%20work.pdf

How Food Affects Your Mood

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There is a well-known relationship between diet and emotional state, as improving what you eat can lead to: positive feelings, more energy, clearer thinking, and calmer moods. Here are five tips on food and mood.

How regularly do you eat?

If you don’t eat regularly, you blood sugar will drop, leading to feelings of fatigue, irritability, and depression. You need to eat regularly to keep your sugar level at a steady level, and choose foods that release energy slowly. Some slow-release energy foods include: protein rich foods, nuts and seeds, oats, and whole grains.

Some tips to eat regularly are: eating breakfast gets the day off to a good start, and instead of eating a large lunch and dinner, try eating smaller portions spaced out more regularly throughout the day (Mind, 2016). 

Do you keep yourself hydrated?

Not drinking enough water can make it difficult for you to concentrate or think clearly. Dehydration can also make you feel constipated, which puts no one in a good mood. On top of drinking water, herbal or green tea, or diluted fruit juices are great ways of keeping you hydrated.

You need at least 4 cups of water, or other healthy beverages, to stay hydrated. Some water is in your food, but you need to drink the rest. Ordinary tea and coffee don’t count, because the caffeine in them takes water out of your body. Alcohol and sugary drinks don’t count either (Mind, 2016).

Are you having too much caffeine?

Caffeine may help you feel more alert in the morning, but having too much can make you feel anxious and depressed, and disturb your sleep. Caffeine is found within teas, coffees, chocolate, cola and other manufactured energy drinks. You may feel noticeably better if you reduce your caffeine intake or avoid it all together (Mind, 2016).

Do you get your 5 a day?

The minerals, vitamins, and fibre we need to keep us physically and mentally healthy are found in ample amounts in vegetables and fruits. Eating a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables, remember to eat the rainbow, means that you’ll get your required range of nutrients. For example, tomatoes, mushrooms, and bananas all contain high levels of potassium, which is essential for your whole nervous system, including your brain (Mind, 2016).

Are you eating the right fats?

We always hear that we should avoid all fats, but some fatty oils (such as omega-3 and-6) help your brain work well. So instead of avoiding all fats, it’s important to eat the right ones. Healthy fats are found in: oily fats, poultry, nuts (especially walnuts and almonds), olive and sunflower oils, seeds, avocados, milk, yogurt, cheese, and eggs.

It’s important to avoid anything with ‘trans fats’ and ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ in them, which are usually found in things like store bought cookies or chips. They can be tempting in the short term, but bad for your mood and your physical health in the long run (Mind, 2016).

 

Reference:

Mind. (2016). How can food affect mood? Retrieved from http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/food-and-mood/#.VwZ1FBMrIcg

 

Eating for Improved Sleep

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Sleeping troubles can lead to you feeling jaded and lethargic which can affect productivity at work and at home. If the troubles are chronic, it may have something to do with your diet. Here are some things to try, and things to avoid, if you’re having trouble sleeping.

What to Try

  • Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed can help you sleep better. Dairy products are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which helps in the production of the sleep inducing brain chemicals, serotonin and melatonin.
  • Eating a carbohydrate-rich snack, like a few oatcakes or a bowl of cereal, an hour before going to bed stimulates the release of insulin. This helps to clear amino acids that compete with tryptophan from the bloodstream, allowing more of this sleep-inducing amino acid to enter the brain.
  • Herbal teas, such as chamomile, passionflower tea and valerian, have a sedative effect (Mayo Clinic, 2014).

What to Avoid

  • Say no to an after-dinner espresso or late night coffee. The stimulant effect of caffeine reaches its peak one to four hours after it’s consumed, but some people can feel its effects up to 12 hours later. Some over-the-counter cold and headache remedies are also high in caffeine.
  • A large late evening meal interferes with sleep, as your body is busy digesting. You may also suffer from heartburn or indigestion. Try to eat at least three hours before going to bed.
  • Avoid foods such as pork, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and wine near bedtime as they are rich in an amino acid tryamine, which the body converts to noradrenaline, a brain stimulant (Mayo Clinic, 2014).

 

Reference

Mayo Clinic. (2014). Sleep tips: 7 steps to better sleep. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379

Healthy Eating for the Whole Family

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Getting your family to eat healthy can be overwhelming, and seemingly unattainable, in the face of daily responsibilities and schedules. But there are ways to get organized and plan ahead, to get your family on the right track. Here are some tips on how to get your family eating healthy.

Focus on Eating Whole Foods

Whole foods are foods that are as close to their original form as possible without being refined or processed. They are foods that don’t have ingredients; they are the ingredients. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. Trying to eat whole foods as much as possible is one of the most important changes you will make in your family’s diet (Everyday Health, 2016).

Select a ‘Meal Prep’ Day Each Week

Planning a day for preparing your weekly meals is a helpful shortcut. On this day, you can wash your produce, chop your vegetables, cut up fruit for morning smoothies, marinate your meats, or boil your grains. Store these in airtight containers in the fridge and you’ll save time when you’re preparing meals for the rest of the week (Everyday Health, 2016).

Invite Your Kids into the Kitchen

The sooner you get your kids into the kitchen, the healthier their relationship will be with cooking and food. They can learn how to make healthy and nutritious foods that they enjoy and will eat. Cooking and being in the kitchen together is also a bonding experience that can bring the whole family together (Everyday Health, 2016). 

Eat One Meal Together Each Day

This may be a tired, old cliché, but ‘a family that eats together, stays together.’ Sharing a meal with your whole family has many benefits to overall physical and emotional wellbeing. The family conversation around the dinner table is a great opportunity to communicate and connect with our children while promoting nourishment for the mind and the body (Everyday Health, 2016).

 

Reference:

Everyday Health. (2016). Healthy Eating the Whole Family Can Enjoy. Retrieved from

http://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/family-nutrition-guide/healthy-eating-for-whole-family/

Physical Activity Myths and Facts

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Myth: Weight lifting is only for people who want to “bulk up”

The truth: The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults lift weights at least two days a week. Resistance training or weight lifting does not always result in “bulking up.” It will increase lean muscle mass, bone density and decrease body fat, which increases strength and endurance, improves balance and posture, and increases metabolism, which promotes healthy weight management (WHO, 2016).

Myth: No pain, no gain

The truth: The idea of no pain, no gain, originally made popular in the early 1980s, suggests that in order to see results you must perform hard and painful exercise. Thirty years later, we know this is not true. Exercising at a moderate to vigorous intensity has many health benefits such as reducing your risk for heart disease and diabetes. But exercising to the point of pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. It is normal to experience some soreness when you are just starting an exercise routine, but once your body gets used to it, exercise should not be painful. A good way to figure out if you are working hard enough, but not too hard, is to use the “Talk Test.” When performing cardiovascular exercises like walking, dancing or cross-country skiing – you should be able to talk, but not sing (WHO, 2016).

Myth: Exercise takes too much time

The truth: It doesn’t have to. Physical activity can fit into your day 10 minutes at a time. Make the most of coffee and lunch breaks by being active. A 10-minute brisk walk to a meeting, getting off the bus a few stops early or fitting in a 30-minute exercise class over your lunch break can all add up – helping you to meet Canada’s Physical Activity Guidelines of 150 minutes a week (WHO, 2016).

Myth: 600 sit-ups will give me a flat stomach

The truth: Performing exercises focused on a problem area is known as “spot toning” and unfortunately doesn’t work. Strengthening your abs by doing sit-ups is only one of many factors that will impact whether you have a flat stomach or not. Some factors are within your control, such as physical activity and healthy eating, while genetics, for example, are, unfortunately, out of your control (WHO, 2016).

Bottom line: By combining a full body exercise plan that includes cardiovascular and strength activities with healthy eating habits, you will start to see and feel all the physical, mental and emotional health benefits physical activity has to offer, which may include a flatter stomach.

Myth: I don’t need to lose weight so I don’t need to be physically active

The truth: Physical activity has benefits for everyone, regardless of your shape or size. A full-body workout that includes all of the major muscle groups, cardiovascular activity and flexibility will help you manage stress, give you more energy and improve blood pressure and cholesterol. Improvements to your overall health are likely to happen before you notice any significant changes to your physical appearance. Everyone can benefit from being physically active. Some of the biggest benefits, such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or osteoarthritis, will not be reflected on a scale (WHO, 2016).

 

World Health Organization. (2016). Myths about Physical Activity. Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_myths/en/

 

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