Posts In: Health
September 22, 2015
Mental health 1st aid and suicide prevention awareness month
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness month which aims to promote awareness around the issues of suicide prevention, how you can help others, and how to talk about suicide without increasing the risk of harm. According to the NAMI website (National Alliance of Mental Illness), suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people and is often the result of mental health conditions that effect people when they are most vulnerable. Did you know that there is a higher rate of death by suicide in Scotland than by road traffic accidents? Awareness of this issue is important because everyone will know someone, whether him/herself, a family member, or friend who has experienced mental health issues, with depression being the most common.
June 5, 2014
A vegan’s guide to essential nutrients
If vegans don’t eat animal products, how do they get all of the essential nutrients that are typically found in animal products? With a little effort, vegans in developed countries have the opportunity to obtain the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. So what do animal products have that vegans need? Meat and dairy are rich in vitamins D, A and B-12, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. Eating conservative amounts of lean meats and dairy would be an easy and healthy way for your body to get these nutrients, but it is possible to obtain the nutrients through other foods. Vitamin B-12 has the most limited amount of alternative choices, so vegans, please make sure you are getting vitamin B-12. Below is a vegan’s guide to essential nutrients, so check out the chart below to discover the specific functions of the vitamins and minerals and the alternative sources for vegans.