Almost 10 years ago, Bell launched “Let’s Talk”, an initiative to promote awareness and positive change in the mental health of Canadians.

UBC Okanagan experts are available to comment on several areas of mental health research. Bell Let’s Talk Day takes place Wednesday, January 29.

Happiness and canine therapy

John-Tyler Binfet

Associate professor, Okanagan School of Education

• How students are kind; kindness in school; dog therapy; stress reduction in college students.

General psychology

Shirley Hutchinson

Lecturer, psychology department, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences

• General psychology; child development; adult development and aging; special topics: psychology of motivation; anxiety, fear, and uncertainty in intergroup relations.

Health psychology

Shelly Ben-David

Assistant professor, School of Social Work

• Youth mental health including clinical high-risk to psychosis, first-episode psychosis, anxiety and depression; early intervention in mental health; identity in the early stages of psychosis; digital divide among youth; mental health service use decision making; mental health service use engagement interventions; implementation research; youth engagement in research.

Karen Ragoonaden

Professor, Okanagan School of Education

• Mindfulness and well-being, Stress Management and Resiliency Techniques (SMART) education.

Sally Willis Stewart

Senior instructor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences
Director, Nutrition Education Centre

• Nutrition and physical activity; obesity and eating disorder prevention; student well-being, mental well-being and resiliency, HEAL100 instructor.

Indigenous health, effects of climate change

Nelly Oelke

Associate professor, School of Nursing

• Mental health and wellness in rural communities with adults aged 50 and over; impacts of climate change and climate change events on mental health and well-being; mental wellness in urban Indigenous adults aged 50 and over.

About UBC's Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Currently there are more than 1,600 active research projects underway at UBCO.

UBCO stories you may have missed in 2019

UBCO Okanagan has grown to a student population of more than 10,000. With this growth, has come new research opportunities—currently there are more than 1,600 active projects. UBCO researchers are challenging established assumptions, innovating solutions and creating new knowledge that will have broad impacts on our society. Here are some of the accomplishments reached in 2019.

Promoting resilient environments

UBCO biologists have discovered a new source of carbon dioxide in lake water that is used for irrigation. Their findings have practical applications for agriculture-based communities in arid regions. For more

Ecologists from UBCO and the University of Alberta have developed non-invasive methods for tracking animals, using DNA found in their feces, saliva and hair. These approaches will provide improved understanding of wildlife migration and population trends. For more

Supporting healthy people

UBCO has joined with international partners to determine how the human heart has adapted to engage in endurance physical activities. The findings will bring new insights to the international effort to reduce hypertensive heart disease—one of the most common causes of illness and death in the developed world. For more

UBCO researchers partnered with an international research team to complete 15 major scientific studies in Peru’s Cerro de Pasco to better understand how high altitude affects newcomers and Indigenous populations. This research is relevant for people who suffer from low oxygen health conditions including those with lung or heart disease. For more

A new Faculty of Medicine Research Centre, the first such facility outside the Lower Mainland, was established at UBC Okanagan. The Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management will serve as a provincial leader for research, knowledge translation and exchange in the urgent research field of chronic diseases. For more

Developing emerging technologies

UBC Okanagan researchers have discovered a new class of anti-ice surface coatings. These low interfacial toughness (LIT) materials ease the force required to remove ice from large areas, such as car windshields. For more

Researchers at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering have developed a low-cost sensor that can be interlaced into textiles and composite materials. While the research is still ongoing, it may pave the way for smart clothing that can monitor human movement. For more

Building thriving communities

UBCO researchers were involved in an international study which found that people are more charitable if allowed to quickly claim tax credits for their donations. Their findings showed that changing the deadline for donations so they land close to tax time increased contributions by nine per cent. For more

Thanks to a visiting international fellowship, a UBCO professor is collaborating with the University of Exeter to promote and disseminate environmental humanities research. This field speaks to the interconnectedness of climate change, factory farming and human health. For more

UBCO professor shares tips for sipping sensibly during a healthy holiday

For those concerned about sugar intake, particularly people on a diet or with diabetes, ringing in the holidays with the clinking of glasses may be a significant challenge. But for UBC Okanagan diet and exercise scientist Mary Jung, a few simple strategies can help maintain a healthy dose of holiday cheer while keeping sugar consumption to a minimum.

“We don’t often think about the amount of sugar in our drinks,” says Jung, an associate professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “The truth is our beverages, whether they’re cocktail, mocktail or bubbly, contain a large amount of sugar. Combined with the alcohol, this could lead to a nasty morning-after for some and a crisis for those with health issues, such as diabetes.”

Jung, who researches how to self-regulate exercise, diet and physical behaviour, adds that not all is humbug. She suggests a few sipping guidelines for a merry and bright holiday morning.

Red versus white or bubbly

“The dryer the wine—which is a term for those that don’t taste sweet—the lower the sugar content,” says Jung. “This is true also for champagnes or sparkling wines.”

She adds that red wine may generally have less sugar than white and that fortified or ice wine will have the highest.

Watch the pours, adds Jung. “Wine glasses are purposefully large to encourage swirling, not necessarily to fill to the brim. The caloric estimates of one glass of wine are based on 5-ounce glass.”

Cocktails

“Hard liquor such as rum, tequila, gin and vodka have low or little sugar,” says Jung. “However, once you mix them with juice, soda and tonic water, this will increase.”

Jung suggests challenging taste buds with sugar-free soda, sugar-free cranberry juice or carbonated water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.

Beer and coolers

“Unlike dry wine and spirits, beer contains calories from both the alcohol and the carbohydrates,” says Jung. “Consider instead a low-carb or light beer.”

She adds that coolers are not that cool when it comes to sugar content.

“Many coolers—beverages made mainly with vodka or rum—deliver at least 250 calories per 355 ml serving. This is more than you would consume in two bottles of light beer.”

She adds that some of these have as much as 310 calories and eight teaspoons of sugar per drink.

Mocktails or punches

“Non-alcoholic drinks like mocktails and punches are a fun alternative,” she says. “However, they may be high in sugar with the addition of juice and soda.”

To lighten these, she suggests being creative with fresh herbs like mint or basil and using carbonated water instead of soda.

How much sugar?

“As a general rule, the daily recommended sugar intake should not be more than 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men,” says Jung. “This adds up quickly. Be informed about your decisions and read the labels.”

“Every 5-ounce glass of wine, 1.5 ounces of hard liquor or a 12-ounce bottle of light beer has roughly 100 calories. Regular beer delivers 150 calories per 12-ounce serving,” she says.

Jung recommends keeping track of consumption.

“Monitor, monitor and monitor!” she says. “This is especially important when pouring wine or liquor. Track by the ounce, not by the glass!”

She suggests alternating alcoholic drinks with water or a non-sugar beverage.

Planning ahead

“Even more critical than drink choices or modifications are self-regulatory strategies,” says Jung. “It can be helpful to think about your personal health goals and how much you value them.”

She recommends deciding in advance what success looks like. For example, how many drinks will you have? Also, determine how much sugar will come from the accompanying food versus that from the beverages.

If you’re stumped, Jung suggests reading the guide from Diabetes Canada.

About UBC's Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca

Rob Shaw, doctoral student in UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Health and Social Development.

Rob Shaw earns Canada’s first podium finish in Parapan American singles wheelchair tennis

UBC's Rob Shaw served up victory for Canada at the recent Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Shaw is the first-ever Parapan American Quad-tennis champion and the first Canadian tennis player to a win a singles medal at a multi-sport games.

“This is definitely the biggest win so far of my career if you consider the magnitude of the stage and the number of fans in the crowd," says Shaw a doctoral student in UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Health and Social Development.

He adds that he’s had bigger emotional wins, but as far as a complete package, winning a gold medal is as big as it gets.

Rob Shaw is the first-ever Parapan American Quad-tennis champion and the first Canadian tennis player to a win a singles medal at a multi-sport games.

Shaw came to UBC Okanagan in 2016 as a doctoral student in professor Kathleen Martin Ginis’ spinal cord injury research group. Their work focuses on improving the health and well-being of the 85,000 Canadians living with spinal cord injury. In particular, Shaw is investigating the impact of peer mentorship for people with spinal cord injury in both hospital and community settings.

“I have experienced firsthand the benefits of peer mentorship as both a mentee and mentor,” he says. “This personal knowledge drives my passion for investigating how to maximize the effectiveness of this service.”

Martin Ginis, a professor with the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, says Shaw is an outstanding student-athlete and a recognized leader within the spinal cord injury community and beyond.

“I am absolutely thrilled for Rob,” she says. “He is truly a difference-maker—on the court, in our lab, and in the community. We are cheering him all the way.”

Shaw is the highest-ranked member of the Canadian wheelchair tennis team, ranking ninth in the world and is the reigning four-time national quad singles champion. In addition to completing his doctoral degree, Shaw has his sights set on qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

“I’m just really happy to be part of the massive tennis movement in Canada,” says Shaw. “There’s a really big tennis wave going through the country right now and it’s just nice to contribute a little ripple.”

About UBC's Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca