As we get towards the end of the semester, your schedule might be full of final assignments, essays and studying, leaving little time to cook proper meals. 

You don’t have to settle for boxed macaroni and cheese and late-night pizza to get you through the next month.  Try batch cooking or meal prepping., it takes a little bit of time on the front end but you can reap the benefits for days after (weeks if you have the freezer space). It is also a practical way to make sure your meals are nutritious and budget-friendly.

Before you get cooking you have to make a couple of decisions, first- do you want to make individual meals, batch cook or just prep all the ingredients? All of these have their pros and cons but consider if you get sick of eating the same thing multiple days in a row? Will having prepped ingredients be enough to outweigh the convenience of Skip the Dishes?

Next up, you have to decide what you are going to make. This depends on personal preference as much as anything else but consider the following: 

• How much time you want to spend in the kitchen, some recipes are more demanding than others
• Produce that is in season can be cheaper and more flavourful.
• Don't be afraid of frozen vegetables, they are flash-frozen at peak ripeness so you don't have to sacrifice quality for price.
• Meal prepping isn't just for dinner- you can prep breakfast and lunch just as easily. 
• If you are making a couple different recipes, try to get ingredients to overlap for budgeting and bulk prepping. 

Once you have decided on your menu, check what you have in your cupboards and then make a list for the rest. Then it is time to get to work in the kitchen.

One of my favourite meal prep's is bahn mi bowls adapted from Pinch of Yum's recipe:

Looking for more meal prep suggestions? Here a couple of websites to get you started:

• Budget Bytes Meal Prep
• Bon Appetit Healthy Meal Prep
• Tasty's Meal Prep

-Lindsey Wachter, R.Kin

Health & Wellness Promoter

Sex is an important part of many people's lives and it's not something that's just going to stop when there's a pandemic, nor should it as long as you are able to engage in sexual activity in low-risk ways. Here are some tips on how to enjoy safer sex while reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19. 

Know how COVID-19 spreads. The virus spreads through particles in the saliva, mucus or breath of people with COVID-19, even from people who do not have symptoms. We still have a lot to learn about COVID-19 and sex. The virus has been found in the semen and feces of people who have tested positive for COVID-19. It is not entirely clear if COVID-19 can be spread through vaginal or anal sex but there is evidence that other coronaviruses do not easily spread through sex. 

That being said- if you are having sex with someone, it is likely that you will be within six feet of each other and you will probably be kissing at the same time, and the virus is passed through saliva. Essentially, any possibility of transfer of coronavirus - from your mouth to your hands, to genitals, to someone else's nose or mouth - increases the risk of passing on coronavirus 

You are your safest sex partner! Take advantage of the chance to get (re)acquainted with your body and have some fun. Remember to wash your hands & any toys with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 

The next safest partner is a consenting partner in your bubble. In Ontario, you can establish a social bubble of no more than 10 people who can interact with one another without physical distancing. Keep in mind that you can’t have multiple bubbles, so if you add someone outside your household, you have to include anyone in their household as well. 

If you are meeting someone new- there are a lot of ways to start and develop a relationship with technology. Try watching the same movie or cooking the same meal and eating together over facetime. Send voice notes instead of texts so you can hear each other. You can also take the next steps in your relationship virtually by sexting, or phone or online sex. If you do decide to meet up IRL, any first dates should be two metres apart. Whether it takes place indoors or outdoors will be up to the people on the date and their comfort levels.

Do your own screening to protect yourself by asking potential partners about symptoms of infection or potential exposures. Approach this conversation the same way you would talk about sexually transmitted diseases before being intimate with someone for the first time: It's a matter-of-fact conversation about your health and that of your potential partners. Before getting physical with a partner, ask them:

• If they have, or have recently had, symptoms of COVID-19 infection or are at high risk of being exposed to the virus or being a carrier. 

• Do they have any cold or flu symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath)? Have they travelled anywhere in the past 14 days?

• Have they been exposed or in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or had symptoms?

• Do they work in a profession that exposes them to individuals who may have COVID-19 (eg: healthcare workers)?

This isn’t a one-time conversation, it is important to continue to ask these questions each time you plan on getting up close and physical with someone else.

Skip sex if you or your partner are not feeling well, or have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19. If you feel unwell, or even start to feel unwell, avoid kissing, sex or any close contact with others. Follow public health recommendations for isolation & quarantine and contact the appropriate health care provider for the next steps. 

Here are some other ways to lower the chances of being exposed to COVID-19 during sex with others:

• Consider keeping contact information for your partner(s) so that you can reach them if one of you develops symptoms.

• Limit alcohol use and other substances so safer decisions can be made.

• Before and after sex:

• Wash your body with soap and water.

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• Wash sex toys thoroughly per the manufacturer’s instructions. Most, but not all, can be cleaned with mild unscented soap and water. Do not share them with multiple partners.

• Wear a face covering or mask. Heavy breathing during sex can create more droplets that may transmit COVID-19.

• Avoid or limit kissing and saliva exchange.

• Be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face to face contact. 

• Using condoms, lubricants, and dental dams may help to further reduce the chances by minimizing contact with saliva, semen, feces, blood and/or internal genitalia/vaginal fluids during sex.

Don’t forget COVID-19 is not the only infectious agent to think about, continue to use condoms to prevent transmission of sexually-transmitted infections and an effective method of birth control to prevent an unplanned pregnancy

Although relationships and sex do present a risk during a pandemic, emotional and physical connections can be essential to your overall wellbeing. Assess the risks of dating or having sex the same way you have assessed the risks of going to the grocery store. We should not downplay the importance of human connection because relationships are what help us stay mentally sane through these strange and challenging times.

Lindsey Wachter, R.Kin

Health and Wellness Promoter

We’re happy to announce the launch of a new podcast created in partnership with Compass North! 

Each episode of WellU Podcast will give an in-depth look at a health and wellness topic relevant to Lakehead Students by a Compass North Student member. 

The first episode addresses "Virtual Burnout"- something we have probably all experienced in the past few months with more and more of our lives happening online. 3rd-year medical student Felicia Lotsios breaks down what virtual burnout is and what you can do to help deal with it. Check it out on Spotify- https://cutt.ly/wellupod

July 24th is International Self-Care Day! 

In the past few years, self-care has become synonymous with face masks, bubble baths and green tea but the term actually began as a medical concept. Doctors considered "self-care" as a way for patients to treat themselves and exercise healthy habits- however, the practice was mostly encouraged to elderly patients and those living with mental health issues and later for health care professionals themselves.

The concept didn't really take off until it was adopted by political activities. In the 1970s, the Black Panther Party promoted self-care as a revolutionary way for Black and other oppressed citizens to begin to heal from the constant hurts of racism and marginalization, and empower themselves to continue fighting for equality. Women’s rights activists were inspired and began adapting their own ideas of what self-care meant for women, namely those living in poverty without access to healthcare. Feminist activists opened their own health clinics to ensure that women were given access to the care that they needed. 

Modern self-care is an attempt to undo the stress that we experience from school, work, relationships, and lately, current events. It’s a movement that encourages individuals to put their health and wellness first, and let go of all guilt for doing so. 

The common thread is that self-care began as a tool, a strategy for people to take action to preserve or improve one's own health. So what actions can you take towards meaningful self-care? Here are some suggestions.

Take care of the basics first. The best self-care involves things often taken for granted. Start by trying to get a little more sleep, drink a little more water, make healthier food choices, move your body, engage in self-reflection and get some fresh air—all simple ways to feel exponentially better.

Nurture connections. Research shows that positive human interaction is healing. Make a point of scheduling in time to spend with friends and family- whether its a phone call, a meal together or even a quick coffee.  

Detox your social media. Social media is a hard habit to drop—but it can be used for good. Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. Instead, follow accounts that uplift you, whether that is cooking, humour, creativity or just really cute animals (we highly recommend @doggosdoingthings)

Practice “boring self-care.” It takes real perseverance to pay your bills, tidy your home, pack your lunch, fold your laundry and unload the dishwasher. These tasks aren’t photogenic, but they’re important steps on the way to a healthy and balanced life.

Be present. Mindfulness, the practice of being fully present in the moment, can help you make the most of your self-care practices. This doesn't have to be a formal practice like meditation (but it totally can be), you just have to take time to focus on what you are doing, while you are doing it. 

Take some time to celebrate International Self-Care day and start to develop your own self-care routine.