The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 40 million adults—18% of the population—struggle with anxiety. Anxiety is normal; job interviews, public speaking and other everyday occurrences can cause anxiety.  It only becomes a problem when it extends beyond worry in an unreasonable, uncontrollable way. Anxiety can be a symptom of another mental illness, such as panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).  Anxiety and anxiety disorders are the most common behavioral health issues in the U.S. There are some important health habits... Read More

Introduction: Welcome back to the eighth week of our EmpowerGen column! As we continue our journey, we shift our focus to a pressing issue affecting youth in both Boulder and Baja: mental health. The rise in suicide rates, school shootings, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the urgency to address mental health challenges among young individuals. In this article, we will explore the transformative potential of connecting youth to nature and purpose, backed by studies and articles that showcase the healing power of these experiences.  Read last week’s EmpowerGen Article... Read More

You’ve seen it lurking on the studio schedule. You’ve heard it’s relaxing and can help relieve stress. So why are you avoiding it? Restorative yoga is an ultra-relaxing, “sleepover”-style of yoga that can include lots of props like blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps, and pillows, making it feel like a sleepy slumber party. I’ve heard students say they don’t want to go to restorative yoga classes because they want to go to yoga to workout. True, restorative yoga isn’t much in terms of a workout for your body. However, restorative yoga offers something most of our Western-culture... Read More

Studies have shown that hormones play a role in elevating the desire to eat foods containing carbohydrates during prolonged periods of stress. When our brains are notified that we are experiencing stress, they respond by releasing cortisol, a hormone whose primary function is to raise blood sugar and promote the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat. In response to higher blood sugar levels, the pancreas releases extra insulin, which has the effect of lowering blood sugar rather quickly, causing a craving for foods rich in carbohydrates. Cortisol is considered a catabolic hormone, which... Read More

Thanksgiving kicks off weeks of eating, shopping, parties, and family gatherings. Most people feel a mix of joy and anxiety right before and during the holidays. Statistics show that up to 69 percent of people are stressed by lack of time, 69 percent are stressed by a lack of money, and 51 percent are stressed out about the pressure to give or get gifts. A British study examined people’s stress levels and other behavior during the holiday season. For anyone feeling less than on top of things, the turning point from mild to severe stress comes on December 18 and peaks on Christmas Day. According... Read More

Summer is marching on and many families are trying to squeeze in a family trip before school starts. According to experts, parents are better off spending their money on vacations than they are spending it on toys. Why? Family holidays are valued by children, both in the moment and as a memory. It’s all about spending time during which a child’s interests are genuinely taken into account. Travelling with your kids improves their brain development. “[The vacation] environment offers new experiences that are strong in combined social, physical, cognitive, and sensory interaction,”... Read More

It has become a sort of joke to make fun of young people, especially Millennials; which tends to mean myself. Technically though, I was born just after the ‘cut-off’ date to be considered a Millennial, although the date changes consistently. As such, I am a member of Generation Z, iGen, or the Postmillennial Generation. Despite this, I have grown up and come of age with the concept of the Millennial Generation being lazy, disrespectful, and destroying the world with their magical smartphones. Because of the slightly muddy definition of which age-ranges are grouped into which generation,... Read More

Of the many stigmatized issues that young people face, a significant one is the use and abuse of substances; which includes alcohol and other recreational drugs. As a full-time college student myself, I see how these issues plague my peers. I also see how these problems are not properly addressed in a university setting. As I watch my friends consistently struggle with the abuse of substances, I find myself becoming more and more frustrated. Many of my fellow students, a significant number of whom are not even twenty-one yet, have become dependent on alcohol. Nevertheless, we pretend as though... Read More

Having recently made a personal commitment to achieve a better work life balance, I find myself feeling encouraged to talk about stress, mental health, and even share a bit about my own life’s stressors. Mental health is very important, and the stress of life’s bountiful challenges can take a toll on it very quickly. Gary Vaynerchuk is quoted as saying, “Everybody has shit”, and he’s right. We all have our own shit in our lives we have to deal with. It can often be easy to get caught up in it, to the point you may not consider other people are going through their own shit, so keep that... Read More

As anyone can tell you, when you find something worth your time, whatever it may be, there will no doubt be a love-hate relationship you are confronted with constantly: growing pains, mental walls, frustration, anger, you name it—it has most likely been experienced by you or those around you. This is no different when it comes to the life of a chef. Being a chef requires that you fully submerse yourself in your career; it becomes just about every part of you, digging deep into your soul and sinking the hooks in, making a home inside your heart and mind. There are the days where you love every... Read More

With restrictions remaining in place far longer than anyone expected, Americans are growing restless with the inability to get out and socialize. Already, over 25% of Americans surveyed said that they have reached their breaking point, citing the lack of sociability and frequent fights with family members contributing to stress. The other 75% of Americans surveyed said they will reach their breaking point in about a month–and some cities have already stated that they may need to remain shut down into June. Younger Americans appear to be especially susceptible to breaking down; 59% of surveyed... Read More

The founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Marc Brackett, has conducted a massive survery regarding how people feel right now amidst the panic that COVID-19 has caused. Brackett has conducted similar studies before, but for the first time, this study found that 95% of people felt anxiety, stress, and fear. Even the 5% leftover are not feeling joy or happiness, but instead feeling hope and optimism that things will get better than they are now. With no way of knowing how this will continue to affect the world, feelings of stress could continue for an indefinite amount... Read More

On Monday evening, a massive fire broke out at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  With about 13 million visitors each year, the cathedral is the city’s most visited monument, and has been part of Paris for more than 800 years. Many across the globe are expressing shock and distress about the burning of such an iconic Gothic structure that housed religious artifacts and works of art, some of which are lost, some moved just in time. When tragedy strikes, some of us never recover from it. The way we cope with these situations differ greatly. Some people immediately fall into a deep depression,... Read More

There are many ways in which our world and society could be improved, I doubt that anyone could disagree with that. However, I do feel that one thing has genuinely advanced from days passed; the desire to take mental health far more seriously. Our culture is finally appearing to make mental health a major concern, and, because of this, there is a movement sprouting to take care of our minds in a variety of ways. Professionally, I have been diagnosed with a number of things, although by far the most prominent are a variety of anxiety disorders. Perhaps the most prevalent is what is known as G.A.D.... Read More

Athletes train and fuel their bodies to operate at optimal levels in their sport. CBD is the non psychoactive compound found in cannabis. It is a non toxic, natural option that provides multiple mental and physical benefits. The recent announcement by the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) to remove CBD from the banned substance list in 2018 provides a safer option to many athletes. With athletes and individuals allowed to consume CBD legally in all 50 states, it is diminishing the stigma surrounding cannabis and its users. It has the potential to provide a better quality of life when provided as... Read More

It’s Veteran’s Day. This day, we as a nation, have set aside to honor our veterans for their service, their families for their sacrifices, and all those whose live’s have been touched by the tragic effects of war. Many of us have known a family member, friend, or co-worker who has served for our country. My grandfather is a veteran of the US Army who fought in the Korean War. My father is a disabled US Air Force veteran, and I have a very close friend, who I consider a brother, currently serving in the Army, overseas in the Middle East. In my previous life of finance, back in Missouri, I... Read More

It’s hard to believe that another year at CU is coming to an end. With finals around the corner, it’d hard to see the finish line. Think about it this way: There is only one week left of classes, and let’s be real, the last week before finals is all about winding down. Before finals it’s important to find ways to calm and find at least some sort of Zen in the chaos of finals, which for students is a combination of stress, anxiety and nervousness. Around campus though, there are various ways to contrast the chaos with relaxation. Here is a list of the various ways in which students can parallel... Read More

  The start of the school year is very busy and can be stressful so it’s best to know the top steps to get rid of that stress early on. Billiards/Bowling in the UMC Walking through our Museum Picnic on Norlin Swim in the new Buff Pool Check out the Planetarium The UMC is known for supplying all Buff apparel, books needed for class, dining, program council, and the list goes on. However, tucked away on the bottom floor on the south end you will find The Connection. It’s cheap fun, and if you go for bowling when it’s busy and have to wait, the pool is free. I have senior friends here... Read More

 If you’ve read my blog before, then you already know that studies show 80% of all diseases people in the US are experiencing are inflammatory based.  I’ve also mentioned that inflammation used by the immune system is a good thing, but when it gets out of control, inflammation can potentially cause chronic health problems; including swollen joints, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.  One of the best ways to reduce inflammation is through diet, and cucumbers are at the top of the anti-inflammatory list.   Cucumbers help to “cool” the inflammatory response in the body by inhibiting the... Read More

If you think breakfast is the most important meal of the day to eat, you may want to reconsider your dietary schedule.  Recent studies have shown that intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to teach your body how to burn fat for energy, instead of sugar.  Skipping breakfast, as part of an intermittent fasting schedule, has shown to have many health benefits including the improvement of insulin sensitivity (preventing diabetes), weight loss, increasing energy levels, stimulating the immune system and boosting your levels of Human Growth Hormone.  HGHs are also known as the “fitness hormone”. ... Read More