News and Events for Mood Walks Participants, Partners and Program Leaders
THE MOOD WALKER
In This Issue 2 MoodWalksGroupProfile:HomewoodHealthCentre
4 UpcomingHealthyHikesEvents
5 SunSafetyandHydration
6 TipsforStickingtoaNewPhysicalActivity
6 SafetyTips
7 7StepstoLeaveNoTrace
8 BirdsintheForest
issue 2 : august 2014
WelcometooursecondissueofTheMoodWalker!Wewouldliketothank
thosewhocontributedtothisedition—wehaveanupdatefromthe
Homewoodcrew,andAileenBarclay,aForestEducationSpecialistfromYork
Region,hasprovidedsomehelpfultipsforrecognizingbirdcalls.Wehave
includedinformationaboutupcomingHealthyHikeseventsinyourarea,as
wellastipsaboutsunsafety,hydration,andwaystostaysafeand“LeaveNo
Trace”whenyouareoutonawalk.
Fromwhatwehaveheardsofar,MoodWalksarebeingenjoyedby
participants,leaders,andpartnersalike,despitetheoccasionalchallenges
posedbybugsandhumidity!Welookforwardtohearingmoreaboutyour
groups.Tocontributetothenewsletterorprovidefeedback,pleasecontact
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 2
Mood Walks Group Profile
TheMoodWalksprogramatHomewoodHealthCentreisofftoagreatstartinitsfirstfewweeks! WehavebeenenjoyingthemanybenefitsofbeingactiveinOntario’sgreenspacesand
takingadvantageofthebeautifulweatherandfabuloussceneryonourfirstthreehikes.
Wehaveaveragedabout20clientspersessionandareextremelypleasedwiththeamount
ofinterestfromourcommunity! … continued
HomewoodHealthCentre
HomewoodMoodWalksgroup,FletcherCreekEcologicalPreserve,June2014 Photo:BarbCohen
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 3
Ourfirsthikewasat
RockwoodConservation
Area,abeautifulpark
borderedbytowering
limestonecliffsandthe
EramosaRiver.Resultsfrom
thepost-hikequestionnaires
showedthatclients
enjoyedthesocialcontact,
sunshineandfreshair.
Otherreflectionsincluded
memoriesofchildhood
visitstotheparkfromthose
whogrewupinthearea.
Duringweektwo,thegroup
visitedPreservationParkin
Guelphwhereweenjoyed
anhour-longloopthrough
27hectaresofforestand
wetlands.Weenjoyedthe
peacefulsurroundingsand
learnedaboutthetrails
andbridges,whichwere
constructedbyagroupof
communityvolunteers.Week
three,wevisitedFletcher
CreekEcologicalPreserve,
whichincludesanoldrock
quarrythatwasapopular
swimmingholeinthe1970s
and1980s.Thelandwas
eventuallypurchasedin
sectionsbytheHamilton
ConservationAuthorityand
developedintowhatitis
today.Wehikedonahot
sunnydayandweregrateful
tobeshadedbythetrees.
Althoughthemosquitoes
werebad,wehadbeen
certaintopackbugsprayto
keepthemOFF!
Forourfirstthreehikeswe
preparedyummysnacks
anddrinksaheadoftime,
sothatfirstthinginthe
morning,everythingwas
readytogo!Wealsoasked
clientstocompletethe
paperwork,whichincluded
thepre-andpost-walk
questionnaires,whilewaiting
toleaveandduringthecar
ridetovariouslocations.
Oneofthemostimportant
factorsforasuccessful
MoodWalksprogramisto
haveeverythingreadyand
organizedwellinadvance.
Thiswayeverythingcanrun
smoothlythedayofthehike
andstaffhavemoretime
availabletoconnectwith
participants.
Becausewehopetomeet
ourhikers’expectations
whilecreatinganexperience
thatisrewardingandfun,
inputbyparticipantsisvery
importanttous!Participants
haveexpressedastrong
interestinswimmingafter
ahike,soweareplanninga
triptoKelsoConservation
Areawherewewillfinish
upwitharefreshingdip!We
havealsoplannedhikesat
requestedlocationssuchas
HiltonFallsConservation
AreaandtheGuelphRadial
Line.Staytunedformore
updatesfromourgroup!
Sincerely,yourHomewood
MoodWalkscrew:Rebecca
Thompson,Recreation
Therapist;Catherine
Fraser,PeerSpecialist;and
StephanieCharbonneau,
BrockUniversityIntern.✿
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 4
Upcoming Healthy Hikes Events
HerearejustafewoftheexcitingHealthyHikeseventscomingupnearourMoodWalksgroups!Foracompletelisting,andtofindaneventnearyou, checkoutthe“EventCalendar”athealthyhikes.ca.
Free Yoga in the Park
Thursday,August7,20147:00–8:00pmRattlesnakePointConservationArea7200ApplebyLine,Milton,Ontario
Joinusforyogainthepark!Freewiththepurchaseofaregulargatefee!
Guided Hike of the Dundas Valley
Saturday,August9,201411:00am–12:30pmDundasValleyConservationArea650GovernorsRoad,Dundas,Ontario
JoinusaswediscoverthewondersoftheNiagaraEscarpmentWorldBiosphereReserve(a.k.a.TheGiant’sRib!).
GPS Treasure Hunt
Saturday,August16,20142:00–3:30pmGuelphLakeConservationArea7743ConservationDriveGuelph,Ontario
LearnhowtouseGPStofindsecretcluesaroundtheConservationArea.Thensolvethepuzzletowina(small)prize!GPSunitswillbeavailableforloanwithavalidphotoID.
Guided Interpretive Hike at Albion Falls
Sunday,August17,201412:30–1:30pmAlbionFalls,OldMudStreet,Hamilton,Ontario
VisitorswillenjoyaviewofAlbionFalls,ahikealongthetopoftheRedHillValleyescarpment,learnabouttheNiagaraEscarpmentWorldBiosphereReserve,safehiking,andsomeoftheplantandanimalspecieswhoinhabitthearea.
Swamp Tromp
Saturday,August30,201410:00–11:30amRockwoodConservationArea161FallStreetSouthGuelph/Eramosa,Ontario
ComeandexplorethewaterworldofRockwood.You’llfindyourselfdip-nettingwithanaturalist,andlookingforfrogs,minnowsandinvertebratesneartheHarrisMillRuins.Bepreparedtogetyourshoeswet!
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 5
Sun Safety and Hydration
Asweenterintothewarmersummermonths,being
safeinthesunandstayinghydratedareessential!
Herearesometipstokeepinmindduringyour
warmsummerwalks:
✔ Cover up — wear light-coloured, long-sleeved
shirts, pants, and a wide-brimmed hat made
from breathable fabric, and wear sunglasses.
Don’t forget the sunscreen!
✔ If possible, limit your time in the sun when the
sun’s rays are strongest, between 11 am and
4 pm. If your shadow is shorter than you, the
sun is very strong. Look for places with lots of
shade, like a park with big trees.
✔ Listen to your body! In extreme heat, you may
need to avoid the sun altogether. Perhaps there
is an indoor venue where your group could meet
instead, such as a mall or recreation centre.
Anddon’tforgetabouthydration!Drinkplentyof
liquidsbefore,during,andafterawalk—consider
bringingawaterbottlewithyouonyourwalk.
Goodoldwaterisusuallythebestchoicebefore
andduringmoderatephysicalactivity.Certain
drinksarebestavoidedwhilewalking,astheymay
causestomachupsetanddiscomfort.
Drinks to avoid include:
✔ Carbonated soft drinks
✔ Fruit juice and fruit drinks, such as lemonade
✔ Energy drinks containing sugar or caffeine
Waterisagoodchoiceattheendofawalkaswell,
butdrinkssuchasmilk,chocolatemilk,and100%
fruitjuicecanbeincluded—butbeawarethatthey
provideextracalories!
Signsofdehydrationincludelight-headedness,
nausea,headache,and/orcramping.Ifyou
experienceanyofthesewhileoutonawalk,leta
groupfacilitatorknowrightaway.
Stayingwellhydratedduringwalkswillhelpensure
thatyoufeelyourbest!✿ Source: Dietitians of Canada
Guidelines about when and how much to drink
4hoursorlessbeforeexercise Drinkabout1-2cupsoffluid(250-500mL).
2hoursorlessbeforeexercise Drinkabout½-1½cup(125-375mL)offluidifyouhavenotproducedanyurineoronlyasmallamount ofbrightyellowurine.
Duringexercise Keepfluidwithyouwhenyouexercise.Sipitduringyourworkout.Drinkenoughtoreplacewaterlostthroughsweat.
Immediatelyafterexercise Ifyoudrankenoughduringyourexercise,letyourthirstguideyouovertherestoftheday.
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 6
Tips for Sticking to a New Physical Activity Forsomeofyou,regularwalksmaybeanewadditiontoyourroutine.Congratulations!Startinganewexerciseprogramisoftenthemostchallengingpart—mostpeoplefindthatwhenregularexercisebecomespartoftheirroutine, itseemslessdifficultthanbefore.Herearesometipstohelpyoustickwithit.
Set a goal. Keepinmindwhyyoudecidedtomakewalkingaregularpartofyourlife.Doyouwanttohavemoreenergy,loseweight,buildyourendurance?BesuretowritedownagoalusingtheSMARTframework:Specific,Measurable,Attainable,Realistic,andTimely.(Ifthisisnewtoyou,askyourgroupleaderforgoal-settingassistance.)Settingaconcretegoalishelpfultostayingontrack.
Schedule your exercise. AspartofaMoodWalksgroup,youmayalreadyhavearegularwalkingtime.Settingtimeasideinyourweeklyscheduletoexerciseincreasesthelikelihoodthatyou’llfollowthroughwithit.Ifpossible,scheduleothermeetingsandappointmentsaroundyourexercisetime;afterall,yourhealthisimportantanddeservestobeapriority!Somepeoplefindthatschedulingatimetoexercise,thesamewayyoumightanothermeetingorappointment,helpsthemstaycommitted.
Track your progress. Takingthetimetodocumentyourexercisejourneycanbeveryrewarding:ithelpsyouseeprogress!Althougheachwalkmaystillfeelchallenging,perhapsyouhavefoundthatyouneedtotakefewerbreaksthanyoudidwhenyoufirstbegan.Trykeepingajournaloftheamountoftimeyouspendbeingactive,alongwitharatingonascaleof1–10ofhowhardyouworked.Pedometersareagreatwaytotrackthenumberofstepsyoutakeinaday,andsomelibrariesloanthemoutforfree!
Reward yourself.Besuretogiveyourselfrewardsformeetingsmallmilestonesalongtheway—perhapsafterattendingthreewalksinarow,ordoinganadditional20-minutewalkonyourownthroughouttheweek.Rewardsdon’tneedtobeexpensive,butshouldmatchyourinterestsandbegenuinelyenjoyableforyou:alongbath,afavouritemovieorbook,orsomequiettimeinafavouriteplace.You’veearnedit!✿ Source: The Cleveland Clinic
SafetyTipsHere are a few basic safety principles to remember when you are out for a walk:
n Knowyourroute.Beawareofthedistanceandestimatedtimetocompletethewalk,theterrainandgradients,andtheoveralldifficulty.
n Designateoneleaderatthefrontofthegroup,andonepersontokeepuptherear(the“sweep”)toensurethatthegrouplosesnoone.
n Beawareofcyclists.Stayontherightsideofthepath,anddonotblockthetrail.
n Lettherestofthegroupknowifyouencounteranyhazardsalongtheroute,suchasexposedroots,fallentreelimbs,loosegravel,orricketysteps.
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 7
7 Steps to Leave No Trace
1. Plan ahead and prepare✔ Beawareofanyregulationsforareas thatyouvisit;forexample,someparksmaybansmoking.
✔ Beextracautiousaroundwildlifeduringsensitivetimes:mating,nesting,raisingyoung,orwinter.
2. Travel on durable surfaces✔ Trytostayonexistingtrails—theyaretypicallybuilttoavoidenvironmentallysensitiveareas.
✔ Whenwalkingonatrail,walksinglefileinthemiddleofthetrail,toreduceyourecologicalimpact.
3. Dispose of waste properly✔ Packitin,packitout.Leavetheareabetterthanhowyoufoundit—pick uplitter!
4. Leave what you find✔ Examine,butdonottouch,cultural orhistoricstructuresandartifacts.
✔ Leaverocks,plantsandothernaturalobjectsasyoufindthem.
5. Minimize campfire impact✔ Ifyourgroupisluckyenoughtoenjoy acampfire,ensurethatitissafelybuilt inadesignatedsite.
6. Respect wildlife✔ Observewildlifefromadistance.Do notfolloworapproachanimals,and neverfeedthem.
✔ Controlpetsatalltimes,orleavethem athome.
7. Be considerate of others✔ Yieldtootherusersonthetrail.
✔ Donotblockthetrailwhentakingabreak.
✔ Avoidloudvoicesandnoises(exceptinbearcountry!).
Herearesevenstepstofollow,courtesyofHikeOntario, toensurethatyouleavenotracewhenoutonahike:
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 8
Birds in the Forest
By Aileen Barclay
NomatterwhattimeofyearyouvisitYorkRegion’sforests,youwillhearbirdssinging.Inthespringandsummer,manybirdsarehighupinthetrees,makingthemhardtosee.Agreatwaytofigureoutwhatbirdsaresingingistolearntheirsongs.Eachbirdspecieshasitsowncallorsongtocommunicatewithotherbirds.
Tomemorizeeachbirdcalltakespractice,butyoucaneasilylearncommonbirdsongsbyusingmnemonics.Birdsongmnemonicsarepatternsinthesongthathelpyourememberwhichsongbelongstowhichbirdbyassociatingwordsorphrasestoabirdcall.
Here are some of the mnemonics for birds found in our local forests:
Barred Owl: Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?
Black-capped Chickadee: Chika-dee-dee-dee
Chestnut-sided Warbler: Please-please-please-pleased-to-meetcha
Eastern Wood Peewee: Pee-o-weeee
Great Horned Owl: Who’s awake? Me too
Ovenbird: Teacher, teacher, teacher, TEACHER, TEACHER’
Red-eyed Vireo: See me, here I am, up here, look at me
Red-winged Blackbird: Per-chick-er-ee
White-throated Sparrow: Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada
Tolistentothebirdsongsbeforeheading outonyourhike,youcanvisit www.allaboutbirds.org,anexcellentresourceonbirds. … continued
BarredOwl Photo: CanStock
the mood walker | issue 2: august 2014 9
The Mood WalkerCopyright©2014CanadianMentalHealthAssociation,Ontario
Editor:AndreaTown
Contributors:AileenBarkley,StephanieCharbonneau,CatherineFraser, HikeOntario,RebeccaThompson,AndreaTown
Designer:ShannonGriffiths
Tocontributetothenewsletter,submitphotos,providefeedback,or suggesttopicsofinterest,[email protected].
YorkRegionstrivestoprotectourforeststhrough
carefulmanagementandconservation,promoting
treeplantingandcontrollinginvasivespecies.
Thepublicisinvitedtoexploretheforesttrails,
participateineducationprogramsandtake
advantageofsubsidizedtreeplantingservices.✿
AileenBarclayistheForestEducationSpecialist–Nature’sClassroom,RegionalMunicipalityofYork.
Didyouknow?n TheRed-eyedVireowillcallalldaylong,
eveninmid-afternoonwhenotherbirds aresilent.
n Owlsflyvirtuallysilently.Theyhave fringedfeatherswhichbreakaparttheairmovingacrossthem,reducingthenoise.
n Owls’earsarelocatedatdifferentheights, tohearandcatchamouseunder15cm (6inches)ofsnow.
n Listeningtobirdsincreasesmentalhealth; infact,justfiveminutesofbirdsongaday canreduce“winterblues.”
n Birdsongmakespeoplefeellesscrowded inurbanareas.
n Hearingbirdscallcanhelpyousleep better.
Black-cappedChickadee Photo: CanStock
