Any and all cereals and grains can be cooked in a rice cooker. We’re talking quinoa, couscous, barley, farro, freekeh…the list goes on. But it can also be used to cook entire meals—including desserts.

• Find a steamer basket that fits inside your cooker and you can easily steam veg while your grains are fluffing up. Sturdy leafy greens like bok choy work great.
• After you’ve washed the rice (please, wash your rice!—it removes excess starch so you don’t end up with gummy clumps) and dumped it in the cooker with the appropriate amount of water, layer on marinaded meat and aromatics like ginger and garlic. The steam will cook the protein and flavour the rice. (Just cut the meat into small pieces to ensure it cooks all the way through.) The result is a simple, no-fuss “bo zai fan,” or clay pot rice, which is a staple of Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that this cooking method is endlessly customizable. Try soy-marinaded chicken thighs or Chinese sausages or a light white fish. If you don’t eat meat, try Shiitake mushrooms (for an umami flavour bomb) or an alt-protein source like seitan.
• Soak glutinous rice (also called sweet rice) in the water so it expands and softens before turning on the cook function. Then top the cooked rice with sweetened condensed milk and sliced mangoes for an at-home version of the classic Thai dessert, mango sticky rice.

Cuisinart Rice Cooker, $90, bedbathandbeyond.ca

Next: This Hand Blender Makes It Easy to Whip Up Smoothies, Soups, Sauces and So Much More

We believe you feel your best when you set yourself up to stay motivated. The right outfit not only makes you look good, but also gets you ready to take on the day. Make your first step to healthier habits this year putting together a cute new workout wardrobe that inspires you to move your favourite way. We’re craving colour! We’re desiring details! And we absolutely have to make it affordable – after all, we have some financial goals for this year, too. Enter the latest from Joe Fresh’s line of feel-good activewear for feel-good workouts, filled with all the comfy fabrics, fresh hues and high-end details at an amazing price point. What more could we ask for?

The Perfect Legging and Tank

Winter whites (and greys and blacks) have us craving mood boosters like bright coral and green hues. And having to bundle up outside has us wanting to bare it all (or, some of it, anyway) inside. This vibrant set, with its high-waisted leggings and sports bra is available is size XS-3X for people to feel beautiful and bold in! If showing midriff might not be for you, no worries, pair it with a matching tee. These quality pieces are at a great price point and come in an array of colours, so mix and match till your heart’s content.

Pocket Active Legging in Green, $29 and Crop Active Tank in Coral, $29

Make monochrome magic

Bike shorts—they’re not just for biking anymore. This super-comfy and super-functional set in a fresh spring hue is sure to put a spring in your step when you take to the treadmill, weight machines, yoga mat – or even lounging around at home. Pair them with a matching tank and be on-trend in monochrome when you hit the gym. The criss-cross straps add extra chicness – so go ahead and take the look out on errands too.

Active Bike Short in Light Green, $29 and Strappy Active Tank in Light Green, $19

Add more athleisure to your rotation

Whether it’s WFH, Sunday brunching or running to and from the gym, this is the go-to uniform you’ve been longing for! The white pullover with chic quilting detail and high-waisted cuffed joggers with zipped pockets form the quintessential blend of comfort and convenience. Just throw it on and go!

Active Pullover in White, $34 and Zip Pocket Active Jogger in Army Green, $40

Be bold and beautiful

With quality activewear this affordable, there’s no excuse not to explore a range of hues to suit your mood. This bright collection, full of fun patterns and a rainbow of colours, is made for mixing and matching. So, ditch those boring black leggings and go bold – think colour blocks, monochrome, power clashing with pattern on pattern and everything in between. The winter blahs need a jolt of jolly colour like this!

Active Legging in Coral, $29 and Printed Active Legging in Light Blue, $24

But there’s more

Want to see more? Head to joefresh.com and check out all the latest activewear arrivals, available in sizes XS-3X and always affordable quality you can count on.

Stroke happens when blood stops flowing to part of the brain because a blood vessel ruptures or becomes blocked. Some brain cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients, and die; this can result in brain damage.

While strokes can be fatal, over 80% of those who experience a stroke survive.¹ This means that many people are living with the effects of stroke and may need support to recover.

At least 30% of stroke survivors will develop a condition called post-stroke spasticity (PSS).^2,3

PSS occurs when muscles become overactive, causing them to contract or become tense when they shouldn’t. It can affect one’s balance, coordination and movement.

Symptoms of PSS may be mild to start but can often worsen over time, which is why early diagnosis, intervention and treatment are crucial. Early symptoms include:

• Painful muscle spasms
• Stiffness in arms, hands, legs and ankles
• Limited mobility
• Limb weakness
• Clenched fist
• Bent elbow
• Curled toes
• Pointed foot

Increasing spasticity can result in long-term disability.

If left untreated, spasticity can lead to abnormal limb posture, soft tissue shortening and shortening of the muscles and tendons, which can ultimately lead to joint contractures — joints being stuck in abnormal, possibly painful positions.^2,4

PSS can have physical and emotional impacts, such as pain, pressure sores, risk of falls and fractures, and depression. It can affect quality of life and make getting dressed, bathing, eating and mobility difficult.^5,6

Recognize the signs of stroke FAST.

For the best chance of a good recovery from stroke, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada recommends that we learn the signs of stroke and act FAST. If the face, arms or speech is affected, call 9-1-1 right away.

Face—Is it drooping?

Arms—Can you raise both?

Speech—Is it slurred or jumbled?

Time—Time to call 9-1-1 immediately.

After a stroke, remember the acronym REACT to identify spasticity.

R⁷
E^7,8,9,10
A^7,9
C^7,8
T^10,11

While there’s no cure for PSS, the sooner a patient is assessed and optimal treatment is provided, the better the potential outcome.^2,3

 Physiotherapy and rehabilitation are two effective methods for managing spasticity. They can improve movement in the affected muscles and help promote recovery for increased mobility. Other treatment options include chemodenervation with injections that reduce activity in overactive muscles, skeletal muscle relaxants, electrical stimulations, braces and surgery.

Find resources and support for those living with PSS.

Learn more about stroke and PSS at Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. For support, look to the March of Dimes Canada After Stroke Program, a personalized recovery program that helps survivors and their families move forward after a stroke.

Watch this Facebook Live discussion about post-stroke spasticity featuring Dr. Jennifer Yao, Clinical Associate Professor and Head of the UBC Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

This article is sponsored by AbbVie Canada.

¹ Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. (2017). 2017 Stroke Report. Retrieved June 25, 2022, from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/-/media/pdf-files/canada/stroke-report/strokereport2017en.ashx.

² Wissel, J, Songjin, R. (2021). Assessment, goal setting, and botulinum neurotoxin a therapy in the management of post-stroke spastic movement disorder: Updated perspectives on best practice. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. https://doi.org/10.1080/14737175.2021.2021072

³ Gillard PJ et al. (2015). The negative impact of spasticity on the health-related quality of life of stroke survivors: A longitudinal cohort study. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 13(159). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-015-0340-3

⁴ Bavikatte, G. et al. (2021, September 20). Early identification, intervention and management of post-stroke spasticity: Expert consensus recommendations. Journal of Central Nervous System Disease, 13: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/11795735211036576

⁵ Hotter, B. et al. (2018, April 19). Identifying unmet needs in long-term stroke care using in-depth assessment and the Post-Stroke Checklist – The Managing Aftercare for Stroke (MAS-I) study. Eur Stroke J, 3(3): 237-245. https://doi.org/10.1177/2396987318771174

⁶ Kim, K.T. et al. (2021, December 23). Unmet needs for rehabilitative management in common health-related problems negatively impact the quality of life of community-dwelling stroke survivors. Front. Neurol., 12: 758536. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.758536

⁷ Bethoux, F. (2015, November). Spasticity management after stroke. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am, 26(4): 625-639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2015.07.003

⁸ Glaess-Leistner, S. et al. (2020, November 6). Early clinical predictors of post stroke spasticity. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 28(7): 508-518. https://doi.org/10.1080/10749357.2020.1843845

⁹ Christofi, G. et al. (2018). Improving the management of post-stroke spasticity: Time for action. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 1(4): 1-7. https://doi.org/10.2340/20030711-1000004

¹⁰ Wissel, J. et al. (2020, November 1). Development of an early identification tool in post-stroke spasticity (PSS): The PSS risk classification system. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 101(11): e35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2020.09.101

¹¹ Thibaut, A. et al. (2013). Spasticity after stroke: Physiology, assessment and treatment. Brain Inj., 27(10):1093-1105. https://doi.org/10.3109/02699052.2013.804202

Abby Langer loves Oreos. Those black-and-white discs of hard and soft, vanilla and chocolate—they’ve no rival as far as Langer, a dietitian, is concerned. When the body craves an Oreo, an apple won’t do.

When a client tells her that they can’t stop thinking about Oreos with—as any careful checker of food labels would know — 120 calories for two cookies and commonly maligned ingredients like sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavours, Langer’s response: Just eat the @#$%ing Oreo.

The expletive is hers. She likes a good swearword for emphasis. She uses them often in her new book Good Food, Bad Diet, in which she argues that if people try to ignore all their cravings, they’ll be “miserable AF.” It isn’t a sign of weakness to overeat sometimes, she says. “Trust your body. It isn’t going to end in disaster,” she writes.

In her over 21 years of working as a dietitian in private practice and hospitals in Toronto, Langer met hundreds of clients who have counted calories and calculated macronutrients, and washed them down with guilt and shame, only to repeat the cycle.

In her book, Langer takes on what she calls “diet culture”— the concept that, through restrictive or “clean” eating, we can achieve thinness and, with it, happiness. “Diet culture grabs us when we’re young and tells us that fatter equals lesser and thinner equals better,” she writes. “And we’re scared like hell of being lesser, so we’ll do just about anything to be—and stay—thin.”

But that harms people, women especially, she says. She believes that women should be comfortable with what their bodies look like, but instead tend to berate themselves for how they look and what they eat. Food has become associated with guilt, shame and feelings of lack of control, writes Langer, who lives in Toronto. As a result, women will put themselves through “psychological, physical and emotional abuse” to stay thin and appear young, she writes.

Her book addresses the psychology around eating, as well as the ever-changing state of science about what qualifies as “good food.” Her philosophy is that no food should be off-limits all the time. It’s better to make peace with the foods we love, replace the ultra-processed ones that we don’t, and eat whole or minimally processed foods when we can.

“This book is NOT a diet book,” she writes in the introduction.

At the same time, one could argue that it is kind of a diet book. There’s a contradiction right on the cover: Langer aims to arm readers with the habits they need to “ditch diet culture” and lose weight” while fixing their relationship with food forever.

I spoke with Langer about this conflict, and the work that goes into building a shame-free relationship with food while maintaining a healthy weight.

(Related: This Is the Worst Diet Advice Nutritionists Have Ever Heard)

Why did you want to write this book now?

I’ve seen so many people who are confused about how and what they should eat, and people who feel compelled to go on one diet after the other. In my practice, I always ask people, ‘how did you grow up? And how is food and eating talked about in your family?’ People don’t often go into the past when they talk about nutrition—they just tell people what to eat. So I wrote the book to clear up confusion about nutrition, yes. But I also wanted people to take a look at the questions of why—why do they feel this way about food and nutrition? Why do they feel compelled to punish themselves over and over again? I wanted to be able to change that ‘why’ for people. You can’t make change if you don’t change your negative core beliefs [about food].

Right in the subtitle of your book, there’s a seeming contradiction in goals: you’re challenging diet culture, but also giving people tools to lose weight. Do you think that’s contradictory?

It was my decision to put ‘lose weight’ in the subtitle and I did get a lot of shit for it from anti-diet activists. My publisher was happy. But there are people who think you can’t reject diet culture and still promote weight loss. I believe that you can. You can lose weight in a healthy way without submitting to diet culture.

I feel like if I don’t recognize those people who don’t feel comfortable and want to lose weight, it’s an elephant in the room. Who’s going to help those people? I can’t say to them that their desire to lose weight is invalid. There’s always going be someone who really does want to lose weight. That said, at the very beginning of the book, it says that this isn’t a weight loss book. I’m not going to give you a meal plan. I’m not going to give you a grocery list. I’m not going to tell you what and what not to eat. You may lose weight, but it will be because of behaviour change. You may not lose weight at all.

I firmly believe that there’s a grey area—something in between strict dieting and intuitive eating. Most of the people who I’ve seen who want to lose weight fall somewhere in the middle and they do best in the middle. They want some structure. And they want their desire to lose weight to be acknowledged. A lot of people want to lose weight, and I support them—unless they have a medical reason why they shouldn’t (such as an eating disorder). But I want to teach them how to do it properly.

(Related: These Are the Only 2 Diets Most People Are Able to Maintain Long-Term)

You write about the idea of high-value eating. This is where Oreos come in—you write that they are sometimes a high-value food, which goes against much of nutrition dogma. How can ultra-processed cookies fit into a nutritious diet?

I love Oreos, oh my god. I always refer to Oreos in everything I write. Here’s why they are a high-value food: food is meant to be enjoyed. But it’s devolved, in my opinion, into a cultural idea that food is something to feel shameful about. We’ve been taught that it’s not okay to nourish yourself emotionally with food.

But food nourishes physically and emotionally. And that’s okay. Oreos are my example. They are a high-value food sometimes because sometimes I need an Oreo. Food is meant to make us feel good. It’s not only just for fuel. There’s food for pleasure too.

Now if food is the only tool in your toolbox for coping with difficult situations, you need more tools in your toolbox. People gloss over the work of delving into their past and figuring out where their feelings around food and eating come from. And rightly so because it’s dark. It can be really, really hard and you may need a therapist to help you through it. But I truly believe that there is no meaningful lasting change if you don’t get to the why of why you are eating, and why you have those negative core beliefs.

There’s one question you ask readers to ask themselves, and it made me pause because I think the answer will be challenging for many readers, me included. You ask: “Are you willing to accept your body at its natural comfortable weight if it meant that you didn’t have to play tug of war with it anymore?” Do you think most people are willing to accept that?

Once people understand the financial, the social, the emotional and the physical cost benefit of all those things they’re doing to lose whatever weight they think they need to lose, I think they will find it easier to answer that question. I’ve had clients who count calories, and they’re just so focused that they don’t even notice it. It’s like they’ve been doing this so long they don’t understand the impact of it on their life. But living a life that doesn’t involve punishment and berating yourself every day and starving or whatnot. You can do this for so long that you don’t understand the impact of it on your life. When you stop and you think about how it’s impacting you and how it ripples out to your children, your partner, your relationships and your mood — all of that — is it worth it? Once people ask themselves those questions, it’s a hard pill to swallow.

You have two daughters, ages 10 and 13. I’ve watched you on social media, calling out their favourite clothing companies for using only very thin models. How do you manage food and body image in your family?

Everybody comes in a different shape and a different size, and we’re all different. In our house, for example, I won’t let the girls use the word “fat” as derogatory. It’s horrible how “fat” has become such an insult now. I think we need to teach them healthy eating behaviours and model the behaviours ourselves. I had a girl in my office who was eight years old and she wouldn’t eat. Her mother had been dieting her whole life. The little girl internalized those messages. When kids hear the message of ‘I’m not thin, I’m not lovable,’ they internalize these messages. So we need to set a good example by not weighing ourselves all the time, or talking about fat or going on diets. You have to have these conversations with your kids. There’s only so much we can do for them, but we can send them into the world prepared. Kids as young as kindergarten show a preference for thin versus fat. That’s a learned behaviour.

(Related: 7 Things Doctors and Nutritionists Wish You Knew About Fasting and the Warrior Diet)

You write that stress affects our diets and cravings. This is a stressful time for the entire planet. I hear people worrying about weight gain, about comfort-eating junk food and skipping the gym. What do you say to people who’re struggling with food right now?

First of all, you need to take care of yourself emotionally, not just physically. We’re going through an unprecedented time and it’s stressful in so many ways—health, finances, everything. I tell people do what you have to do. There is no shame. Food does not play nice with guilt and shame. So get that out of the way. If you are occasionally putting your struggles into food, that’s understandable. But if you cope with stress only with food, then it’s time to get another tool to cope with it. Whether it’s being active or doing online therapy or speaking to a friend, or whatever you choose, there has to be a balance. There’s a lot of BS about pandemic weight gain going around. Take your foot off the gas for a minute because we’re all struggling. You just need to stay healthy. And if you eat an extra bag of chips or some cookies, please give yourself a break right now.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Next: This Popular Diet Could Sabotage Your Health, According to a Nutritionist

Throwing a punch at a friend might not be seem like a great way to bond, but for the boxers at SHEspars, it’s totally normal—and encouraged.

Kickboxing can be an empowering way to develop self-defence skills, and a good way to build trust and make new friends, says Damali Fraiser. She’s the executive director of SHEspars, a group that organizes muay Thai sparring events around southern Ontario, based on the idea that women and non-binary folks deserve a space and the time to practice the sport safely. “There’s no politics or gym drama. It’s like meeting a friend that you feel like you’ve known for a long time,” she says.

Muay Thai is a form of kickboxing, which is like boxing except that it also incorporates arms and legs (unlike regular boxing, which is upper body only). The rise of cardio-style kickboxing classes (you know, the ones that have you shadowboxing while you hop from foot to foot, leaving you breathless and sweaty) have turned what was originally a martial art into a popular form of aerobic exercise. But kickboxing can do so much more than just boost your cardio: A study published in 2014 in the journal Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons found that kickboxing also improves speed, agility, flexibility, upper body strength and aerobic power, making it a great high-intensity, full-body workout.

“A lot of different aspects of your physiology are involved,” says Hyedie Hashimoto, a PC kru (which means teacher) at Lotus Fitness Muay Thai in Toronto.

Fraiser says that the main complaint she hears from her fellow female boxers is that there’s often a lack of other women at mainstream gyms or sparring events. SHEspars draws in women from a wide range of backgrounds and ages—Fraiser, who is turning 43 this year, notes that girls as young as seven come to spar and exercise with women in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

SHEspars also enables women who are past their competitive days to continue practicing. Jennifer Boffo, the founder of SHEspars, was a muay Thai fighter for years before an injury forced her to stop.

There’s no age limit on who can do muay Thai, confirms Hashimoto. She explains that “motion is lotion, so no matter your age, if you can start moving and stay active, it will probably prevent you from getting stiff and immobile.”

As a petite woman, Hashimoto was told that she couldn’t spar because everyone else was much bigger than her. “My first coach told me that my short stature was ‘ruining’ the sparring techniques of the taller guys,” she recalls. “But I’ve made lifelong friends and really strong bonds within the muay Thai community with the women at SHEspars.”

SHEspars events are not competitions, explains Fraiser. (There are no scores kept during sparring and no one wins or loses—it’s just about practicing the moves.) Their events are about finding community within a safe space, so they always start with friendly introductions. “It’s not a real fight, but it’s still a vulnerable place to be in, and you want to know that the people you’re putting yourself into that position with actually care about you,” she says.

Fraiser sees it as a sports and gender equity issue—allowing women athletes to escape what can be a toxic gym culture, and to feel both empowered and supported. “We’re trying to give folks in different areas the opportunity to bring all their women together to spar and get to know each other,” she says.

What are the health benefits of kickboxing?

Core strengthening

Throwing punches and kicks strengthens your core muscles. When you twist for a punch to add power to it, you’re engaging your core.

Improved flexibility

Many of the movements associated with muay Thai are “like dynamic stretches,” says Hashimoto. “The more you do them, the more flexible you become.”

Cardio workout

All of that moving around while you’re sparring gets your heart rate up and pumping.

Confidence boost

Sparring allows boxers to finally apply the training and skills they learned from practising on pads and pillows. It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work. “Being able to even get one shot on your opponent is a huge confidence boost,” Hashimoto says.

Mental clarity

Sparring can sometimes lead to a meditative state, says Hashimoto. Some seasoned pros focus so intently on the fight that their minds are totally empty during the spar. The undivided attention on one sustained activity—it’s not unlike running a marathon—can help people clear their mind and find relief from daily stressors.  

Next: The Life-Boosting Powers of Cold Water Swimming

In 1993, when my mother started teaching her cooking classes, she called her venture Healthy Gourmet Indian Cooking, known to us by the abbreviation HGIC. This recipe is an HGIC original featured in the lentils and beans session, and we’ve been cooking it ever since. As our cooking classes evolved, we taught more intensive lentil and bean curry workshops as a way to boost interest in plant-based proteins and demonstrate how to cook them in an Indian way. This dish is traditionally made with just black-eyed peas all on their own, but my mother’s rendition includes greens, making it a great meal in one.

Kale & Black-Eyed Peas

Prep time: 15 minutes plus overnight soaking
Cook time: 1 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup black-eyed peas (whole), dried
• 4 cups water, plus extra if necessary
• 1½ teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• ½ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 medium fresh tomato, chopped, or 1 tablespoon crushed tomatoes
• 1½ teaspoons coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon Indian chili powder 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 2 cups finely chopped green kale
• 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped, to garnish

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, rinse the black-eyed peas in two to three changes of warm water. Cover with fresh warm water and soak overnight.
2. Rinse and drain the peas in another couple of changes of warm water, then place in a medium pot along with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook on medium-high for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covering with a lid. Cook for 40 minutes or until tender.
3. In a separate medium non-stick pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, then add the tomatoes and sprinkle in the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Add the garlic paste and stir to combine. Add the kale and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly wilted.
4. Stir in the cooked black-eyed peas along with their cooking liquid. Add
   ½ cup water if they start to dry out. Sprinkle in the kasoori methi. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the black-eyed peas are very tender and the spices have mixed in thoroughly. It should have a soupy consistency.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro to taste.

Note: Feel free to use spinach, rapini, or fresh fenugreek leaves as a substitute for kale. Black-eyed peas can also be cooked in a pressure cooker in 10 minutes.

Excerpted from New Indian Basics, by Arvina Chauhan and Preena Chauhan. Copyright © 2022, Arvina Chauhan and Preena Chauhan. Published by Appetite, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: A Recipe for Chocolate Orange & Vanilla Cardamom Barfi, an Indian-Style Fudge

Setting SMART intentions

For many, the new year is an exciting opportunity to set new goals and commit to better habits – especially around a healthy lifestyle. But once the new year energy starts to fade, so can the determination.

To set goals we’ll stick to, we asked former Team Canada hockey player and current Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant Manager, Hayley Wickenheiser, who recommends making your goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound. Hayley got to the top of her game by using this method: “A SMART goal isn’t saying, ‘I want to be a better ice hockey player,’ it’s saying, ‘I want to improve my skating speed by 0.2 seconds over the next six months.” Setting personal benchmarks is something we can all do.

Need your own SMART goal inspiration? Here are some intentions we’re setting for a healthy body and mind.

RESOLUTION: Start journaling

SMART RESOLUTION: I will journal for 5 minutes, 3 times a week, and increase the time and frequency monthly as the year progresses.

Journaling does a lot more than simply help you process your day. According to a study published on cambridge.org, expressive writing is proven to reduce stress, increase immune function, reduce blood pressure, sharpen comprehension, boost your mood, regulate emotion and even help improve sport performance. Though many of those benefits are associated with longer writing periods – say, 20 minutes or so – start small and build up at an achievable rate.

RESOLUTION: Get outside and move more

SMART RESOLUTION: I’ll walk 2 kilometers (approx. 30 minutes) at least 5 times a week.

Venturing outside to get your steps in, even in the winter, not only has physical health benefits like increased energy and improved cardiovascular health, it also boosts your mood and reduces stress. Take it from four-time Olympic gold medalist, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and doctor Hayley Wickenheiser: “I like to start my day with an early morning run. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, and I feel more focused and energized.”

In those early morning hours, Hayley takes extra safety precautions. “I’m often out the door when it’s still dark out, so wearing my TELUS SmartWear Security device gives me an extra layer of protection and added peace of mind, so I can truly enjoy my early morning runs,” she says. These small, discreet charm-like personal safety devices easily attach to your keys or can be worn as a bracelet or necklace. Each charm is equipped with a hidden button that can instantly text her GPS location to select contacts and/or emergency services. With this device, safety is as simple as a double click.

RESOLUTION: Sleep better

SMART RESOLUTION: I will follow the 10-3-2-1-0 rule of sleep for at least 5 nights a week.

Getting enough sleep? The benefits of getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly are bigger than you think. According to sleepfoundation.org, regular quality sleep helps with better brain function (sleep allows your brain to renew and improve neural connections); mood (sleep helps you manage stress), athletic performance (in sleep, you release hormones to contribute to muscle growth); and general health (sleep gives your cardiovascular system a break, helps regulate blood sugar and fight infections).

Experts recommend adopting the 10-3-2-1-0 rule for healthy sleep hygiene: No caffeine 10 hours before bed; no alcohol or food 3 hours before bed; no work 2 hours before bed; no screens 1 hour before bed; no snoozing your alarm.

Sweet dreams, healthy sleepers!

RESOLUTION: Exercise the brain

SMART RESOLUTION: I’m going to attempt the morning crossword every other day.

Did you know that exercising the brain builds coping mechanisms, improves your problem-solving skills, boosts memory, and can even reduce the risk or postpone the onset of dementia? Even better, finding regular activities that engage the brain and challenge it to perform in new ways can be fun! Whether it’s games and puzzles (hello, crossword and sudoku!), learning a new skill (fantasizing about finessing your French?) or simply meditating every morning, there are lots of options to help keep you sharp. Switch them up and make them as simple or challenging as you want – just keep introducing your brain to something new!

RESOLUTION: Connect more with family and friends

SMART RESOLUTION: Set one hour a week to connect with those you love – and make new friends, too!

Social connection is a form of self-care. Having a network or community you can count on not only builds empathy and self-esteem, but also leads to lower levels of anxiety and depression.

It’s never too late to reach out to those you love – for friends and family you haven’t talked to in eons, sometimes a simple phone call can bridge the gap. There are also plenty of ways to make new friends at any age, from friend-making apps to joining clubs based on your hobbies. So go ahead and put yourself out there – your life will be better for it!

To a happy, healthy, safe and SUCCESSFUL New Year!

So, what resolution will you start – and succeed in? Whether it’s to boost your mind, body or soul, ensure it’s SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound. Set yourself up for success by finding fun and relishing the rewards in whatever you do – and feel safe while you do it! TELUS SmartWear Security is not just there to support you when you’re out running, but it also adds an extra layer of protection during ride shares to meet new friends or heading home in the evening to ensure you can get those eight hours of sleep. Here’s to a happy, healthy, mindful, and masterful 2023. Your goals may be individual, but we’re all in this together!

Choosing the perfect mattress is crucial when it comes to managing back pain. With countless options available, it can be challenging to identify which mattress is the right fit for your needs. That’s where the Douglas mattress comes in.

With over 16,000 customer reviews, this Canadian-made mattress has gained a reputation for offering exceptional support and comfort for individuals struggling with back pain.

In fact, many consider it the best mattress for back pain relief. In this article, we’ll explore the features of the Douglas mattress and guide you through the process of selecting the best mattress for alleviating your back pain.

1. Understanding Back Pain and Its Impact on Sleep

It’s essential to understand the factors contributing to back pain and how it affects sleep quality. Poor sleep posture, an unsupportive mattress, and underlying health issues can all contribute to discomfort. Identifying the cause of your back pain is the first step toward finding the right solution.

Back pain can significantly impact the quality of your sleep, leading to a vicious cycle where poor sleep exacerbates pain and pain disrupts sleep. Lumbar support and pressure points play a significant role in maintaining spinal alignment and comfort during sleep, making them essential factors to consider when selecting a mattress. By addressing these key elements, you can improve your sleep quality and break the cycle of pain and poor sleep.

2. The Importance of Firmness

Firmness plays a critical role in choosing the right mattress for back pain. The right firmness level can help with spinal alignment, ensuring your spine maintains its natural curve and reducing the risk of developing or worsening back pain. A mattress that is too soft may cause the spine to sink, while a mattress that is too firm can create excessive pressure on certain parts of the body.

The Douglas mattress is designed with a medium-firm feel, which is generally recommended for individuals suffering from back pain. This level of firmness provides the ideal balance between support and comfort, ensuring that your spine remains in proper alignment throughout the night. The medium-firm feel of the Douglas mattress caters to various sleep positions and body types, making it a versatile choice for those seeking relief from back pain.

3. How Your Sleep Position Affects Your Mattress Choice

The manner in which you sleep can have a significant influence on the type of mattress you choose. If you are a back, side, or stomach sleeper, you would benefit greatly from the Douglas mattress. This mattress has been designed to cater to various sleep positions, accommodating your unique body shape.

Its adaptive foam layers provide targeted support for each sleep position, effectively addressing lumbar support, and relieving pressure points to alleviate back pain. With the Douglas mattress, you can rest easy knowing that your preferred sleep position is taken care of, ensuring a comfortable and restful night’s sleep.

4. The Benefits of a Cooling Gel Layer

Overheating during sleep can exacerbate back pain. The Douglas mattress addresses this issue with its cooling gel foam layer, which helps regulate body temperature throughout the night. This feature not only adds to your overall comfort but also aids in reducing inflammation and discomfort associated with back pain.

Investing in the Douglas mattress means investing in your health and well-being. Its medium-firm feel, innovative foam layers, and cooling gel technology provide the ideal blend of support and comfort to effectively alleviate back pain and ensure a peaceful night’s sleep. You can rest assured that choosing the Douglas mattress is a smart decision for improving your quality of life.

Experience the remarkable benefits of the Douglas mattress now! The best mattress for back pain with a 365-night risk-free sleep trial, a 20-year warranty, and an affordable price of just $799 for a Queen size. Make a life-changing decision with peace of mind. Say goodbye to back pain and hello to rejuvenating sleep with the Douglas mattress.

Back in 1997, we were invited to participate in Eat to the Beat, a charity gala to raise funds and awareness for Willow Breast & Hereditary Cancer Support. In its first year, chefs were asked to prepare a dessert or sweet. We chose to prepare layered barfi, a milk-based Indian-style fudge traditionally made and shared on festive occasions. I’m taking that same base recipe but giving it a twist—this is a new and special combination I created especially for my brother, Paresh, who is the biggest chocolate lover I know and who also fancies the flavor of orange. I’m adopting this classic pairing of chocolate and orange and applying it to our traditional barfi recipe so it’s modern, exquisite, and exceptionally decadent with vanilla, dark chocolate, and a hint of juicy citrus.

Chocolate Orange & Vanilla Cardamom Barfi

Prep time: 1 hours, plus 4 hours to overnight chilling
Cook time: 1 minute
Yield: 16 to 20 pieces

Ingredients

• ¼ cup ghee
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 1½ cups whole milk powder
• ¼ cup half-and-half cream
• ¼ cup almond flour
• ½ teaspoon green cardamom seeds, finely ground
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon finely slivered pistachios, to garnish

Chocolate Topping

• 3½ ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• 3½ ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water

Directions

1. Line an 8-inch diameter, 1-inch deep stainless-steel plate with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large non-stick skillet on medium-low heat, melt the ghee. Stir in the icing sugar to combine.
3. Sift in the milk powder and mix to combine. Add the cream, almond flour, cardamom, and vanilla and stir so all the ingredients become uniform. Remove the barfi from the pan, and once it is cool enough to handle, knead it with your hands so all the mixture comes together.
4. Press the barfi into the prepared plate and smooth it out into an even layer. You can use the bottom of a small stainless-steel bowl or katori or
   a spatula to compress the mixture firmly into the plate.
5. For the chocolate topping: Melt the chocolates using a double boiler (see Note). Once the chocolate is smooth and melted, stir in the butter. Add the cream and orange blossom water and stir to combine. The chocolate topping should be glossy.
6. Using a spatula, layer the chocolate topping on top of the barfi and smooth it out evenly. Sprinkle on the pistachios to garnish. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Cut the barfi into 1¼-inch squares or diamond shapes. For a bite-sized barfi, cut the squares into 1-inch pieces. Serve as a decadent treat!

Note: Chocolate is often melted in a double boiler so that direct heat—either direct from the stovetop or a microwave— does not come in contact and overcook the chocolate. Set up
a double boiler by boiling water in a small saucepan or heavy-bottomed pot over the stove. Nest a slightly larger stainless-steel bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring it doesn’t come into contact with the boiling water. Add the chocolate to the bowl and it will slowly melt from the accumulated steam.

Excerpted from New Indian Basics, by Arvina Chauhan and Preena Chauhan. Copyright © 2022, Arvina Chauhan and Preena Chauhan. Published by Appetite, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: This Channa Masala Recipe Will Be Your Go-To for Weeknights

Early this year, a Canadian study published in JAMA Surgery confirmed what many patients, especially female patients, have long suspected: The sex of your surgeon absolutely matters when it comes to your outcome in the operating room. Female physicians got better results. But it turns out that the sex of the patient matters in the OR, as well—and can even mean the difference between life and death.

Angela Jerath, an associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Toronto, and her colleague Christopher Wallis, an assistant professor of surgery in the department of urology, canvassed the records of more than 1.3 million men and women, operated on by nearly 3,000 surgeons in Ontario over 12 years. They controlled for as many factors as possible: the age, income, and health status of the patients; the age and experience level of the surgeons; whether the surgery was performed in a small community hospital or a major medical centre. Overall, Jerath and Wallis discovered, more than 17 percent of patients suffered adverse effects within 30 days of the procedure—8.7 percent of them had complications, 6.7 percent were readmitted to hospital, 1.7 percent died. Not the best.

But when they broke down those results by sex, something more troubling emerged. “We found that female patients treated by male surgeons had 15 percent greater odds of adverse outcomes than female patients treated by female surgeons,” Jerath says. Worse still: Women operated on by a male surgeon were 32 percent more likely to die.

Here, Jerath unpacks those astonishing findings and explains how on earth we can fill the gap in care for female patients.

(Related: Women’s Health Collective Canada Is Addressing the Gap in Women’s Health)

Why did you want to explore this area in the first place?

Chris Wallis had done some earlier work that looked at differences in outcomes between male and female surgeons, using a similar dataset from Ontario health care. That paper signalled that female surgeons across different specialities are having better outcomes than their male counterparts. And we weren’t really sure why. To be honest, we’re still trying to work out why. But one of the areas of interest was whether the interaction between the sex of the physician and the sex of the patient matters.

How did you go about measuring whether it matters?

We have the luxury of lots of health care databases in Ontario, and they’re completely anonymized. We looked at the pairings between the sex of the patient and the physician—so you’ve got four combinations—and we looked at its impact on death, readmission to hospital, or complications after surgery within 30 days. This was on around 21 surgical procedural groups, from things that are really complex, like cardiac bypass surgeries, to common bread-and-butter stuff, like having your hip or knee replaced. We were able to adjust for a lot of things that affect outcomes, like the age of the patient or the experience of the surgeon. We jam-packed those things into the model and came out with the numbers that you see.

Let’s talk about those numbers.

They’re pretty scary.

What did you think when you first saw them?

I was personally taken aback. We had a lot of internal discussions and went through the data again. Chris had done that earlier work, so we knew there was a signal here, but we just didn’t know how big the signal was going to be. It’s important to understand what those numbers might mean. They’re what we call relative numbers. Women having surgery with a male surgeon, relative to a female surgeon, had a 32 percent increased risk for death. That means if your risk for death coming in for surgery is, let’s say, one percent, then it’s 32 percent of that one percent—so the combined outcome is about 1.3 percent. That’s how to mentally compute what you’re seeing.

But should there be a difference at all?

No. And that needs a deep dive. We saw this difference across a lot of surgeries, and there were 1.3 million procedures in our database. Given that volume, we don’t sense that this is some technical thing in the operating room. The operating room is just one part of your surgical experience, which starts as soon as you step into the hospital and meet the team.

What do you think is going on here?

There may be differences around communication, understanding what a patient wants; perhaps there’s a difference in decision-making. Very few people die in the operating room. Most things happen after surgery, and picking up on those complications early can be life-saving. Perhaps men and women physicians are communicating with their teams differently. Perhaps they’re listening to patients differently. There are a lot of subtleties, which I will say don’t get taught at medical school, that might feed into some of those adverse outcomes. There are likely to be differences in style that we can all learn from.

Better communicators, better listeners—not to truck in gigantic generalizations, but that does sound like women to me. Has that been your experience working as an anesthesiologist in the operating room?

I’d say I work with great people, technically and clinically, everywhere. I find women will communicate a bit more. And if I’m concerned about something and we need to pause or think or go faster or whatever, I find they listen. It is a bit of a generalization. There are some men who do that really well. There are probably some women who do that really badly. But I’m starting to see more women surgeons—more women in leadership generally—from when I was a medical student 20 years ago. To get where they are, women often have to do much more; they’ve got to tap into tons of skills, go the umpteenth mile.

And have you noticed differences in female patients, in terms of how they might discuss their symptoms—or how they might be received by surgeons of the opposite sex?

I find women will ask more questions, but you know, how you ask your questions often dictates what’s underneath. Maybe you’re a bit nervous, or you need more reassurance about why something is important, or you may not want to do a procedure. A lot of conversation often means something else. How we perceive that information, as physicians, is so important.

How do we begin to fill this gap?

We’ve highlighted an issue, and now we need different researchers to come in. Understanding more about risk might be important. Are there patients we’re considering operating on who can get through the operation, but perhaps run into issues more frequently after surgery? And then we need researchers with an anthropological or psychology background to really dive into differences in communication style.

What has the response to this paper been like? I imagine some people in the medical community might be a bit…resistant to the findings.

It’s been a mixed bag. A lot of women feel vindicated and that their work has been recognized. There have been some male surgeons who have come up to me and said, “This is fantastic; you’ve highlighted an important area.” There’s a group in the middle who are quiet. And then there are people who are angry. We’ve had those emails, those messages on Twitter, where people feel their whole practice has been affected and are taking it very personally. Male surgeons in particular have taken it very personally.

Should they?

Our response has been that this is a very macro-level study. That’s what big data is really good at doing—it highlights something. But it’s generalistic. It can never make an inference on your individual practice.

Since we’re on a macro level, I imagine it’s a long process to turn around these disparities in care.

Probably. If there was, let’s say, a lot of funding, it would be easier to carve out lots of topics to start examining which would help accelerate us forward. But a subject like this, which is more embedded in the health equity and disparity space, is becoming more of a core subject. People are understanding that this isn’t just dinner-party conversation. There’s real science to behold here.

Next: How Heart Disease Affects Women Differently Than Men