Revising the Game Plan: Retirement is just one Choice for Athletes in Transition
As athletes, we face the existential dilemma of deciding when enough is enough. Pushing our bodies through pain and past injury is sustainable only for so long. And yet, every athlete values the positive experiences and achievements which flavour their sporting journey. Whether one is an aspiring junior athlete, a post collegian, or veteran national…
Sleep and Athletes: Is there a Magic Number?
Although conventional wisdom suggests that athletes need at least eight hours of sleep each night, quantity is not the only parameter that promotes athletic success. Most of us believe that we need a set number of hours of sleep and that seven or eight hours a night is a prerequisite for health and well-being. And…
The Diabetic Athlete
More than 382 million people worldwide, and 10 million Canadians, are living with Diabetes Mellitus, more commonly known as diabetes. There are three different types of the chronic disease, but most athletes seem to have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin for the…
Getting Physical! Engaging Seniors in Sports
Whether you are young or old, sports are an incredible way to strengthen friendships, meet new people, and to stay healthy. There are many physical and mental health benefits of active aging and lifelong sport participation. Statistics Canada shows that young Canadians between the ages of 15-19 are participating in sport at a 54% rate,…
In with the new! Making Lifestyle Behaviour Changes
According to Conference Board of Canada research, Canada gets a “B” grade on the health report card, ranking 8th among 16 peer countries compared in their study. While that doesn’t sound so bad in the grand scheme of things, we also hear from ParticipACTION’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth that Canada…
Get the students moving! Physical activity and the classroom
The link between physical activity and academic achievement has always been an area of research that science has been keen to explore. It’s great to know that there is a positive association in sport participation and grade point averages, but that’s not the only benefit you can get by joining in the fun. Studies have…
Breaking Habits – Creating an active family
Chances are your family life mirrors most Canadians’ with a lot of your free time spent hanging out indoors in front of various screens. As a parent you’ve probably realized this needs to change and you’re looking to get your family more active but how do you go about it? In June of this year…
Running with the kids – a new trend for families
Ottawa Race Weekend is now in sight and is the biggest multi-distance race event in Canada. Whether you walk, jog, or run, it’s becoming increasingly common to have kids, parents, and grandparents all signing up for different races and cheering each other on. Sedentary lifestyles are becoming the norm and events like this one can…
Recruit a friend! The benefits of a workout buddy
Sometimes motivating yourself to workout can be tough and even the most dedicated person has days where they would rather sit on the couch and watch a movie. That’s why recruiting a workout buddy to join you in your chosen activity is one of the smartest moves you can make and may be the difference…
Want to have a good quality sleep? Try Exercise!
Poor sleep quality is a common issue for many people, in fact, one in four people experience sleep difficulties. This includes trouble falling or staying asleep, early morning waking, sleeping too much, or experiencing a restless sleep. Experts agree that regular exercise helps improve sleep quality but recent studies suggest that the combination of sleep…