Tracking your consumption (e.g., by noting it in a journal) can help you get a better idea of when you’re more likely to consume. It can also help you assess what the impacts are on your physical and mental health and your relationships with loved ones. Reducing or monitoring your use can help you reduce its negative impacts on your life.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health website – Caffeine (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
→ Effects of caffeine, recommended intake, caffenated products and interactions with food/medication
2 – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health website – Addiction (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
→ Signs, causes and treatments for addiction (alcohol, drug and gambling)
3 – Daily alcohol diary (NHS, 2016)
→ Recommendations, goals, consumption diary
4 – Knowing Your Limits with Alcohol: A Practical Guide to Assessing Your Drinking (Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, 2019)
→ Provides tips and guidance for individuals considering changing their alcohol consumption to a lower-risk level. This self-help resource can be used independently or with the guidance of a healthcare provider.
Organizations and Help Resources
1 – Drugs: Help and Referral (DAR) (MSSS)
→ Telephone service offering support, information and resources to people concerned with drug problems. Free, anonymous and confidential everwhere in Quebec.
A nutritious and balanced diet is key to staying healthy. Eating well can help prevent and treat many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer, as well as conditions like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. It also aids in reducing the side effects of antipsychotic medication and improves your well-being and day-to-day life.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Make healthy meals with the Eat Well Plate (Government of Canada, 2019)
→ Healthy eating: practical tips and tricks for meals and snacks
2 – Canadian Food Guide (Government of Canada, 2019)
→ Planning and preparing balanced meals
Playing sports and staying active on a regular basis has many physical and mental health benefits. In addition to preventing chronic diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, physical activity can also help maintain good mental health. It reduces stress, strengthens emotional control, increases energy levels, and improves sleep and concentration.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Exercise and activity information (Diabetes Canada, 2020)
→ Benefits and types of exercise, safety tips and tutorials.
2 – Fitness: Tips for staying motivated (Mayo Clinic, 2018)
→ Fitness is for life. Motivate yourself with these practical tips.
3 – Tips to get Active for adults 18-64 years (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011)
→ Guideline, recommendations and tips to get active.
4 – ParticipACTION App (ParticipACTION, 2020)
→ Motivational content to stay active and healthy (at-home activities, outdoor workout videos, tips and tricks to get active, etc.).
Getting professional help can be very helpful or sometimes even necessary to stay physically healthy. Whether you need treatment for a specific health problem or help to adopt positive lifestyle habits (exercising, eating well, etc.), various professionals are available to assist you.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Making the most of your appointment with your doctor (Healthwise, 2020)
→ Tools to prepare a visit with your health professional (new problem, follow-up appointment, etc.)
All sorts of complementary resources and therapies can help improve your physical and mental health, including light therapy, meditation, massage therapy, acupuncture, and more. These resources improve well-being in different ways, such as reducing anxiety, pain, or fatigue.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Alternative and integrative medical society (AIMS) : Ressource Guide (AIMS, UBC, 2020)
→ Alphabetical list and description of complementary and alternative medicines (e.g., accupunture, meditation, etc.)
Sleep is vital to your physical health. In addition to boosting your immune system, it helps prevent heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Proper sleep also has mental health benefits—it can improve emotional control, increase energy levels, and help you concentrate on finding solutions to your problems.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – What is insomnia and what can be done? (Mayo Clinic, 2022)
→ Information on insomnia and prevention
2 – 32 Tips to Start Sleeping Better: Advice From the Top Sleep Researchers (Ryan Fiorenzi, 2020)
→ Information on healthy sleep and how to attain it
Setting aside time for relaxing activities can help reduce stress. Such activities can also improve sleep when included as part of your pre-bedtime routine.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Tips and Exercises to Help You Relax (University Health Network, 2018)
→ Contains some tips to help you relax, exercises that will help you relax, manage stress and lower anxiety and where you can find other helpful resources.
2 – Relaxing Exercises to Relieve Stress (University Health Network, 2014)
→ Learn ways to relax to help you manage stress and lower anxiety : deep breathing, relaxing your muscles, repeating words that make you feel relaxed, imagining relaxing images, etc.
Multimedia
1 – Exercises for Stress Reduction & Deep Relaxation – Part 1 of 4 – Introduction (UHN Toronto, 2011)
2 – How to reduce stress with progressive muscle relaxation (Hamilton Health Sciences, 2016)
Rest is essential to your physical and mental health. Taking time off (e.g., vacations and breaks) increases productivity at work, stimulates creativity, reduces stress, and boosts energy levels. Rest can also improve your quality of life by giving you time to take part in activities you enjoy, forge or strengthen personal relationships, and experience new things.
Useful Information and Tools
1 – Suggestions for break time activities (Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, Canada Life, 2020)
→ Information and tips for either calming, energizing or relaxing activities to do during a break