Features
Remis Lecture Group at Gwen Secter Centre attracts large crowds to hear from two well-known speakers
By BERNIE BELLAN On two successive Thursdays in May (May 16 and 23), the usual fairly small number of attendees at the Remis Lecture Group luncheons more than doubled in size as large numbers of guests came to hear two well-known speakers: Mayor Scott Gillingham (on May 16); and Doctors Manitoba President Dr. Michael Boroditsky (on May 23).
The Remis group is open to anyone to attend, but anyone who is not a regular member of the group is asked to notify in advance that they will be attending by calling 204-291-4362.
I thought it might be interesting to provide readers with snapshots of what both Mayor Gillingham and Dr. Boroditsky had to say, despite my writing for a Jewish newspaper (and website) and trying to think desperately how I could tie in either speaker to a Jewish theme. How about if I mention that the mayor said he really enjoyed the kosher meal provided by the Gwen Secter Centre, which featured kugel as the main dish?
In a separate article I’ll write about Dr. Boroditsky’s talk. (I have posted about his having said that a new association of Manitoba Jewish physicians has been formed. You can read that article at https://jewishpostandnews.ca/faqs/rokmicronews-fp-1/jewish-physicians-in-manitoba-form-association-in-response-to-antisemitism/: )
Scott Gillingham began his remarks by telling the audience that he was born and raised in Brandon, where he honed his skills as a very good hockey player. First elected to Winnipeg City Council in 2014 and reelected in 2018, in 2022 he ran for mayor.
Readers might remember that former mayor Glen Murray had entered that race and was, at first, considered the heavy favourite to win the election.
Gillingham told this amusing story about election night, which was October 26, 2022: Apparently CTV News had called the election in Murray’s favour shortly after the polls had closed at 8:00 pm.
But, as events transpired, CTV was quite wrong, and it wasn’t long before Gillingham took the lead for good. As he noted to the Remis group, “By 8:30 I had lost and won the election all within a half hour.”
Gillingham explained to the audience of 38 that, as this year is the 150th anniversary of Winnipeg’s incorporation as a city, he wanted to give them a brief history of the city.
The first mayor of the city was Francis Cornish, Gillingham noted, elected by a total of 398 people who voted in our city’s very first election. The Gillingham family’s own history of settlement in Manitoba began in 1907, he said, when the first Gillinghams arrived from England, “and headed as far west as they could go until they ran out of money.”
The key event in Winnipeg’s history, he suggested, came when businessman J.H Ashdown convinced the federal government of the day to route the first trans-Canada railway through Winnipeg rather than Selkirk. Ashdown was instrumental in Winnipeg’s quickly building a bridge across the Red River, which turned out to be decisive in the government’s eventual decision. “That kind of vision and action built the city that we love,” Gillingham suggested.
Continuing on the theme of building upon that which has been laid down already by visionaries in the city’s past, the mayor said: “The fortunate thing for me is stepping into this role has afforded me the opportunity to inherit what’s already in place.”
For that, Gillingham thanked the many generations of entire families that have contributed so much to “the health and welfare of this city. Yes, we have challenges,” he admitted… “we have struggles, we have potholes,” but we still have a great city, he insisted.
He pointed to two specific projects in Winnipeg’s history that came about as the result of great vision and determination: the building of the gravity-fed aqueduct from Shoal Lake and of the Winnipeg Floodway. Gillingham also noted former Mayor Stephen Juba’s role in the building of City Hall in 1962 as another example of vision, as was the construction of the Manitoba Legislative Building in an earlier era.
“As we look back over these past 150 years,” Gillingham said, “we realize there’s a lot to inspire us.”
Turning to some of the more immediate problems that continue to fester here (as they do in almost all major urban centres), the mayor admitted “we don’t have enough housing…I’ve challenged our staff to approve 8,000 units of housing in 2024.” (He added that, as of the day he was speaking, 3,500 units had already been approved, so the goal of 8,000 was well within reach.)
He noted, as well, that new census figures for Winnipeg are about to be disclosed “next month” – which means they may already be out by the time this is read, and the anticipated fairly large increase in Winnipeg’s population is only going to add more pressure to build more housing.
As Gillingham put it, “I love my kids, but I don’t want them to live with me forever.”
The mayor also referred to some of the improvements in technology that are underway in the delivery of certain services to the public. He referred specifically to an enhancement to 911 service that will allow anyone calling that number to send a photo to the 911 operator, which should lead to a much better understanding of what type of emergency situation is being talked about. (By the way, Gillingham noted, the very first 999 service – which was the antecedent of the current 911 service, began in Winnipeg, under Mayor Juba, in 1959.)
Gillingham spoke of the need to challenge the Chamber of Commerce to come up “with an actionable set of recommendations which Winnipeg should focus on.”
He noted, as well, that in meeting with business leaders throughout North America, he has learned that they are specifically “interested in Winnipeg – and not Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, or Calgary” and each time he’s asked them “what it is they’re looking for and how we can provide it in Winnipeg?” Later in his talk he returned to this topic and elaborated on what it is that business leaders are looking for, saying they’re looking for “skilled labour and are we connected to markets?” As well, he noted, many are looking for “green energy and a quality of life for their employees” which, he suggested, Winnipeg has in abundance, with “world class arts, pro sports, universities, a diverse population, and cottage country within an hour and a half.”
At that point the mayor began to field questions from the audience. The first question posed was “Whether, in concentrating on growth for the future, are the needs of the inner city being ignored?”
Gillingham answered that there is currently a major investment in housing in the downtown. “There is $122 million in federal funding” earmarked for downtown housing, he said, of which “$30 million has already been received – which will lead to 600 new units of housing downtown.” He added that there will also be “new spray pads in the north end” this year.
The mayor also noted the creation of a new “concierge service” for anyone wanting to build something, whereby if “you call one number you can correlate all the housing requirements,” rather than having to contact a number of different city departments.
He also mentioned the next “round of funding” from the federal government, which “will focus on transportation infrastructure for rapid transit.”
Someone asked Gillingham to define what the term “affordable housing” actually means?
The mayor answered that it would be “80% of the market rate,” so that if housing is renting for $1,000 then $800 would be affordable. He pointed to new housing that will be going up where the old Public Safety Building once stood. “It will include units for less than $1,000 a month,” he said. “If a builder can include at least six units of affordable housing we’ll give them money to offer those,” he added.
Another question was about the Arlington Bridge and what will happen to it?
The mayor answered that “we’re waiting for a consultant’s report.”
I posed a question about cycling, noting that both the mayor and I are ardent cyclists, but for anyone who wants to take their bike downtown, it is extremely difficult to find a secure are in which to leave it. I suggested that the city ought to take one of the many vacant lots downtown and build a secure (above ground) compound, in which cyclists could leave their bikes. I even proposed to the mayor that it could be called “Gillingham’s Island.” (For anyone under a certain age that reference might be totally lost, but lucky for me the Remis group – and the mayor, are of sufficient age to have got the joke.)
Gillingham did address the issue of bike thefts in the city (and I just had another bike stolen not too long ago), saying that anyone can register their bike for free by going to 529garage.com. It would help police in locating the owner of a stolen bike if it’s recovered.)
The final questions were about Portage and Main. The first questioner wondered why this time around the mayor was in favour of opening up Portage and Main whereas in 2018 he was opposed?
Gillingham responded that “something happened between the plebiscite (whether to open Portage and Main to pedestrian traffic) in 2018 and today that’s shifted people’s attitudes.”
He was also asked “When you open Portage and Main will you be closing the concourse?”
The answer was “No, more information is needed.”
Finally, someone wondered whether the skywalk system could be extended to connect the west side of Portage Avenue to the east side – and thus to the skywalk system which connects east of Main Street.
Gillingham said that “We’re open to the conversation. The only date we have in mind is the reopening of the street at street level.”
Features
Skipping breakfast: Does it help you lose weight or is it bad for your health?
Breakfast is known to be an important meal – and yet many people leave the house without it. But what are the consequences for your health if you skip breakfast?
Whether it’s because of time pressure, to lose weight or because you’re not hungry yet – many people skip breakfast in the morning. There are different opinions. But to really have full energy for your next round at Betamo casino Canada you better not skip this very important meal.
Skipping breakfast: A good idea to lose weight?
Skipping breakfast is a common weight loss tip. Provided that you save the calories for breakfast and don’t eat them with another meal. This assessment is supported by studies:
A meta-analysis from 2023 found a significant correlation between skipping breakfast and a reduction in body weight.
A study from 2020 shows similar results: Skipping breakfast had a slightly positive effect on weight loss.
Another analysis from 2019 also shows that the study participants who skipped breakfast had a small – but significant – weight reduction of just under half a kilo.
However, these studies only show slight effects on weight and appetite. What’s more, some of the scientists also point to negative effects.
Skipping breakfast: What speaks against it
There are many voices that clearly speak out against skipping breakfast. For example, Anja Bosy-Westphal, President of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine, told Zeit magazine that skipping breakfast does not help to maintain lost weight in the long term. “People who skip breakfast for a long time are more likely to be overweight,” explains the expert. The effect persists even if other unhealthy habits are ruled out as the cause.
Skipping breakfast increases the risk of diabetes and obesity
In order to maintain your weight and eat healthily, you should therefore eat breakfast. Bosy-Westphal goes on to explain that glucose and energy metabolism work less efficiently in the morning. “If I eat the same meal once for breakfast and once for dinner, the blood sugar level rises less in the morning.” On the other hand, more calories are burned immediately after eating.
In the evening, the effect is reversed and we store more energy. The expert is generally in favor of never skipping a main meal. However, if someone “absolutely” wants to do this, for example because they are intermittent fasting, she says it should ideally be the evening meal.
Eating breakfast regularly has a positive effect on blood sugar levels and prevents diabetes. Conversely, according to Bosy-Westphal: “The more often you skip breakfast, the higher the risk of developing diabetes”. This is because eating early in the day helps the body to adjust the metabolism correctly and reduces the risk of obesity and metabolic diseases.
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Another negative effect associated with skipping breakfast is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A study from 2023 shows: A late first meal of the day (for example, by skipping breakfast) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Every hour later (9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.) increased the risk by 6 percent.
Skipping breakfast to lose weight: A good idea?
Whether skipping breakfast really helps you lose weight is controversial – some experts even suspect the opposite. At the same time, the scientists point out that breakfast is not the only thing that matters. This is because the participants who ate late drank more alcohol, went to bed later and ate more irregularly compared to those who ate early.
Skip breakfast: This is the recommendation of the DGE
The overall study situation is not clear. The results are partly limited by methodological weaknesses such as small study sizes and the fact that physical activity was not recorded. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) therefore does not currently give a clear recommendation as to whether skipping breakfast helps with weight loss or not:
At present, no scientifically validated statement can be made regarding the relationship between meal frequency and body weight regulation in healthy adults, so the German Nutrition Society (DGE) makes no recommendation in this regard. The energy balance is decisive for the development of body weight.
Features
How often you should cycle per week to get fit
Cycling is an excellent way to get or stay fit. But how often, how long and how intensively should you cycle to achieve this?
What does it actually mean to be fit? The word “fit” means nothing more than “suitable”. However, we generally understand “fit” as a certain level of training that is not only healthy, but also makes many everyday things easier for us – for example, just catching a streetcar or playing tag with the children. Last but not least, basic fitness can be a basis for more ambitious training or sporting goals (a long bike ride, a 10-kilometer run or similar).
Cycling is basically a very good way to get or stay fit, as it trains our endurance and most major muscle groups, is easy on the joints and, in terms of intensity, is easy to control. Numerous studies also show that cycling is healthy and a good option for building up fitness. But who should cycle how often and for how long is very individual and depends above all on the current state of training and health. So you will be calm after and can focus completely on National Casino.
This is how often and how fast beginners should (be able to) cycle
Let’s assume that you want to do something for your fitness again after a long break from sport. The best way to start is to take stock: grab your bike and go for a ride to see how long you can keep going and at what pace. If you haven’t exercised for a very long time or have never done so regularly and/or suffer from pre-existing conditions, you should check with your doctor beforehand whether and how much strain you can put on your cardiovascular system.
After taking stock, you should start training slowly. In the beginning, it is enough for beginners to cycle on flat terrain for 20 to 30 minutes about three times a week.
Now for the right intensity and the right pace: For (re)beginners, the following applies: If you still have just enough air to keep yourself entertained while riding, then you’re on the right track. If you want, you can of course also train with a heart rate monitor, where the target heart rate for most people is around 120 to 130 beats per minute. However, as the exercise heart rate is very individual and depends on many factors such as age, training condition, etc., intensity control via the “conversation test” works at least as well.
If you are riding on flat terrain, you will probably reach a speed of around 18 to 20 kilometers per hour in calm conditions.
Building fitness means building new habits
This training area is called the foundation area, by the way, and this is precisely your most important goal: laying a solid foundation for your fitness. Continuity is crucial, especially at the beginning – so really try to cycle three times a week – even if it’s only 15 minutes, that’s still better than not cycling at all. This will help you get into a steady rhythm and each time you cycle it will be easier for you to get going.
According to studies, it can take up to three months for new habits to become so integrated into your life that you find them as easy as brushing your teeth – so keep at it!
If you then have no problem sticking to the basics for around 30 to 40 minutes three to four times a week, you will have built up a solid base level of fitness. This will also help you achieve the WHO’s recommended exercise target of at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. Once you have reached this basic level of fitness, you can of course always increase your training, depending on your goals.
Combining cycling with strength training
Cycling is very good endurance training. However, it is also important for our health and fitness to train our strength. Otherwise, as we get older, we lose muscle mass, which can lead to back pain and the like, but also promotes weight gain – because muscles use energy and therefore calories even at rest. Strength training also improves your performance on the bike.
All it takes is 10 to 15 minutes two to three times a week. And you don’t have to go to the gym or buy any equipment. Classic exercises such as push-ups or squats are very effective and anyone can easily do them at home.
Tip: There are many practical apps with short workouts that strengthen the entire body, for example the free app Seven – 7 Minute Workout (for Apple or Android devices). It gives you suggestions for exercises and – especially important for beginners – shows you the correct exercises to do.
Features
Sleepmaxxing: Sleep better with these tips
Sleepmaxxing is trending on social media: targeted tricks and habits are designed to make your sleep as restful as possible. We explain what the hype is really about.
If you’re active on social media, you’ve probably heard the term “sleepmaxxing”. At the end of 2024, this tag already had 98.6 million posts on TikTok. This term, which literally means “maximizing sleep”, i.e. “getting the most out of your sleep”, is all about getting the perfect night’s sleep. From an optimized sleeping environment to the ideal evening routine, nothing is left to chance with Sleepmaxxing – all for the purpose of perfect nightly rest for your next round of TonyBet Canada.
Sleepmaxxing – what really works?
As is so often the case with health tips on social media, the Sleepmaxxing methods should also be taken with a grain of salt. Most of the popular tips for better sleep are not scientifically proven and will definitely not be the panacea they are promoted as on TikTok and the like.
However, some behaviors can actually help you improve your sleep quality or fall asleep faster. Here are some tips that can help you sleep better.
1. evening routine for better sleep
Fixed bedtimes and other rituals can benefit the quality of your sleep. Regular rituals help your body to adjust better to sleep. You can try out these methods, for example:
- Fixed bedtimes: If possible, go to bed at the same time every day and get up at the same time – even at the weekend. This stabilizes your sleep rhythm and the hormone balance that controls your tiredness.
- Avoid screens in the evening: The blue light from cell phones, laptops and televisions inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Put your cell phone away at least an hour before going to bed and try using blue light filters if you like.
- Relaxation rituals: Reading, meditation or a warm shower can help you to calm down more quickly.
- Sleeping tea instead of caffeine: Avoid coffee or energy drinks in the evening. Instead, opt for herbal teas with valerian or lavender.
2. create the ideal sleeping environment
Your sleeping environment can have a major impact on the quality of your sleep. Your environment has a big impact on the quality of your sleep. With a few adjustments, you can significantly improve the conditions for restful sleep:
- Darkness: Sources of light at night disturb your internal clock. Darken your bedroom as much as possible or use a sleep mask.
- Quiet: Noise can interrupt your sleep. Earplugs or a white noise app can help combat noise.
- Cool temperature: The optimum sleeping temperature is between 16 and 19 degrees Celsius. You should briefly air your bedroom twice before going to bed.
- Comfortable mattress and pillow: A sagging mattress or the wrong pillow can massively affect your quality of sleep. Make sure your back and neck are well supported and find the right type of mattress for you.
3. diet and exercise for better sleep
Those who live healthily also sleep better: diet and exercise can influence your sleep. Diet and exercise also have a major influence on your sleep. The following tips can contribute to a healthier sleep:
- No heavy food before sleep: fatty or highly seasoned foods can put a strain on your digestion and disrupt your sleep.
- No alcohol to help you sleep: Although alcohol makes you tired, it worsens the quality of your sleep and makes for restless nights.
- Regular exercise: Exercising helps you to sleep better – but intensive training directly before bedtime can keep you awake. It’s therefore better to schedule your workout for the morning or afternoon.
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