Are we sleeping enough?

I recently read "Why we sleep" by Matthew Walker, and it reminded me of how important sleep is, and how devastating sleeping just a little bit less than what we need can already be. As a mom of a toddler who still doesn't sleep through the night, it's difficult to prioritize sleep - but I've been making sleep more of a priority. Sleep now wins over working my split shift.



To know who else is "with me" on this, and makes sleep a top priority, I ran a poll (and as I mention in the wake below, I've started setting an alarm at night to go to bed - which is so far not always a success, but I'm working on it!):

On napping

I've been thinking about the topic of napping lately. As I was reading Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, which shows that high-achievers in the past built naps into their daily schedules, and later Why we sleep by Matthew Walker, which also shows the benefits of naps, I wonder why it is not commonly accepted to get some shut-eye during the day.

My father was a brilliant surgeon, with the workload associated which such a career, and still he found the time each day to return home for lunch and then a nap. I always think of him and how he managed to arrange his time in function of what he needed to perform, and what I could learn from that. And since he become ill when I was a teenager, I need to rely on those memories to try to understand better who he was, and by extent, understand myself better.

Here are the links to the two books I mentioned





And here is a poll I recently ran on the topic. Clearly, the majority naps - mostly every now and then, which seems to strengthen my idea that it should be ok to nap at work during the day.

Favorite form of exercise

I ran a poll on Twitter to see what is academics' favorite form of exercise. By a small margin, cardio wins the poll.

Here's the wake of the poll:

Meditation in academia

I recently ran a poll to see if meditation is popular for academics. We've seen the research that it's good for us, so it seems, as slightly more than half of the respondents meditate at least every now and then. I used to have a good habit of meditating daily, but momlife has made this more difficult - I need to find how to get organized in a better way (but let me first get through the toddler years).

Here's the wake of the poll:

Exercise in academia

I ran a poll to see how fit academics are. The poll received a fair number of votes, and I'm glad to see that more than half of all respondents work out at least once or a few times per week!

If you want to make a commitment to exercise this year, go for it! Today is a perfect day for getting started. Make a plan, and stick to it :)

Research and pregnancy: Some advice

In my previous post, I wrote about how I envisioned pregnancy as something completely different as what it turned out to be for me. While I understand that every body, every woman, and every pregnancy is different, I do think I have some general advice to share with you. Whether you are a (PhD) student, on the tenure track, or tenured professor, the following points can be good to consider:

1. Don't be afraid to tell your colleagues

As I wrote in my story, I worried about the reaction of my colleagues for various reasons. None of these worries turned out to be true. In the end, every body smiles and rejoices at the idea of a baby. Every body has plenty of anecdotes about their children and grandchildren they are happy to share with you, and that makes them happy remembering. In the past, I worried a lot about how to combine a family and career, and, in my case, how I would combine working in two continents and all my conference travel with raising a child. I now think that I maybe worried too much about the impact on my career and the reaction of colleagues.

2. Be gentle with yourself

Every pregnancy and every woman is different, but for almost all, pregnancy brings some aches and pains and side effects. I thought I would be able to ignore the whole thing and keep doing what I'm used to until the baby is born. I ended up getting quite frustrated with myself and the whole situation, which brought me despair, sadness, and anxiety. It took me some time to come to terms with the situation, but after embracing my body and what it is able to (i.e. grow a healthy baby!) instead of what it is not able to (work super hard), and learning to be more gentle with myself, the entire experience has become much more enjoyable. In the end, these nine months are a special time - and if you can, use them to enjoy them, to make space in your life, to prepare for motherhood, and to learn how to take things as they come.

3. Take frequent breaks

If you are not already taking frequent breaks to go to the bathroom all the time, consider taking a short break once or twice an hour to get up, walk around, and give yourself a stretch. I've noticed that all aches and pains -for me- get aggravated by prolonged sitting. Instead, when I walk around the office or house regularly, and add in walking breaks, I feel much better. Experiment with this to see what works for you, but you may find relief as you change position frequently.

4. Work where you are comfortable

Along the same lines as the previous point: don't force yourself to work in an environment that is not suited to your needs. I have worked mostly from home during my pregnancy, where I use a sitting ball that makes me most comfortable. At the consultancy office where I work part time, I have temporarily abandoned my standing desk and shifted to a seated spot to alleviate my back. At university, I have an uncomfortable chair, so I'm simply avoiding that place as much as possible. If you lecture for many hours on end, see if you can alternate sitting and standing for your teaching. Do some stretches for your back, chest and shoulders during the day and at the end of the day - there are numerous free prenatal yoga videos that you can stream online that can help you stretch.

5. Don't be afraid to ask for help

I tend to be rather stubborn, and never ask anybody for help. But as my belly grows, and my clumsiness increases, I've learned that there's no shame in asking for help. It can be better for the ones around you to know how they can help you, than to see you struggle but be unsure on how to react. Just let the others know what they can do for you. Don't be upset when nobody helps you with anything if you never ask - only you know how you feel, where your body is currently hurting, and what your limits currently are.

Research and pregnancy: My story (Part 1)

Before I became pregnant, I imagined myself as a powerful pregnant woman. I was sure I would simply keep working with the intensity and concentration that I am used to. I was going to be in the gym every day at 6 am to give it my all and start the day right. I definitely was not going to whine, complain, cry, or ask anybody for help. Life only changes when you have a baby, right?

So far for my plans and ideas about pregnancy. My fall semester had a crazy travel schedule, in which I was away from university for almost two months. I did fieldwork, conferences, and an invited lecture in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States and South Africa. Traveling anywhere from Ecuador is always a long trip. Traveling to South Africa from Ecuador takes three days and includes two red-eye flights. A trip of this length takes a toll on any body, and on my body in early pregnancy, it took quite a toll.

I returned from the conference in South Africa tired, tired, tired. Then came nausea and vomiting. I decided to take it easy for the next weeks and recover from all the traveling I had done. I didn't reduce my working hours (but my hours were less productive), but I did not work out and spent my evenings on the couch. Everybody said things would get better in the second trimester, so I just hoped for these weeks to pass by quickly. At this point, almost nobody knew about the baby, as we decided to wait until the difficult first trimester would be behind us and the doctor would confirm that the baby is healthy and growing.

During the Christmas holidays, we traveled to the Galapagos Islands. I enjoyed the trip very much, but I was still quite nauseous, and tired. On New Year's Eve I was sound asleep before midnight. In January, I attended TRB, like every year. My appetite was back a bit, but the extremely cold weather in DC made me sick. One day I left a session at 4pm, and slept until the next day 11 am, only coming out to have a quick dinner.

By now, I had reached the second trimester, and I was hopeful that now I'd be able to work with my full concentration again and to go back to the gym and play more music. By the time the fourth month of pregnancy drew to a close, I started to feel desperate. Where were the tons of energy that everybody promised me for the second trimester? Why was I still needing 9 hours of sleep every night? Is this tiredness never going to end? My mood sank to an all-time low. I had anxiety, worrying about everything that could go wrong at work, during the pregnancy, during birth, when traveling with the baby, and as a new mom. I found myself in bed, dead tired and wanting to sleep, but with my heart racing and my thoughts going in circles.

Gradually, I accepted that my ideal of how I would be during pregnancy was not going to happen. I usually push myself very hard to achieve the goals that I set for myself. I've fallen back as a result of being sick, but never longer than two weeks. Falling back over a period of months is not something that had ever happened to me before, and it was difficult to accept at first. I made peace with the understanding that pregnancy is a temporal state. I decided to try and enjoy it was much as I could: taking prenatal yoga classes, using this time in my life to make space for the baby by simply doing less, and embracing my body as it is: with a growing belly, full hair, and the best skin I've ever had. I accepted the fact that I am not doing the workouts I love, but instead walking and doing gentle yoga, because that is what I can do now, and it is good as it is.

I waited to tell my colleagues until I was 5 months pregnant (I only started showing towards the end of the sixth month). Somehow, I was worried about the reactions of some of my colleagues. I was worried that my colleagues in Delft would resent the fact that my annual research stay was coinciding with the last months of my pregnancy, which makes me unsuitable for field and laboratory work. I was worried that people would joke about the fact that I got tenure and immediately decide to lean back and have a baby. I was worried about what would happen to my courses, and if I would need a replacement for my maternity leave. Luckily, none of my worries had any ground. I worried that I won't be able to deliver on the two book projects that I signed for. All of my colleagues have been excited for my husband and I. The publishing companies I signed book contracts with have mentioned that if I need a bit more time as a result of my maternity leave and baby, that they would totally understand.

As I write this post (April 2017 - I am scheduling ahead of time to have posts for you while I'm on maternity leave :) ), I have just started the third trimester. I have taken duties off my plate and made more space in my schedule. I've accepted the fact that I am able to do less than usual. The only one who was ever negative about the whole situation was myself - and beating myself up over it only made me more miserable and less productive for the hours that I am working. I'm grateful for the fact that the baby and myself are healthy, which is the most important now. I've been lucky as well: besides the nausea and vomiting of the first trimester (and quite some weight loss then), and the fact that I am tired a lot, I have not had much difficulties. A painful knee or back once in a blue moon, but other than that, I have no complaints. I'm planning to write another post towards the end of the third trimester, to finalize this story.

Drink less coffee during your PhD

Today's guest post is a contribution from Seán Mac Fhearraigh, PhD. Seán was a PhD student at University College Dublin & a post-doc a Cambridge University where he studied mechanisms of cell division. Currently Seán run’s an ELISA assay company where you can find some great information on ELISA assay protocols and ELISA kits.

Caffeine or 1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione (as it is chemically known according to IUPAC) is the fuel that runs the scientific community: it helps many scientists get through late nights in the lab, provides them some extra focus when they are fatigued and provides a common meeting point for Professors, Grad Students and Post-Docs to complain about life in the lab. Not even the lab rats are safe with nearly 5,000 publications found under "Rat AND Caffeine" in PubMed.Gov.

Not all of us, but most of us, become addicted to caffeine at some stage during grad school or our post-doc, if not worryingly earlier in our lives. You just have to attend a conference to see the addiction to caffeine is rife throughout the scientific community. Coffee before morning lectures, coffee during the morning break and lunch, and then some more coffee in the afternoon session break. Last year during the American Association for Cancer research, a biotech company that provided free coffee was one of the main attractions at the conference with up to 50 people waiting in line to get their free coffee constantly throughout the day.

Coffee does have some great benefits and has been shown to increase endurance during athletics and increase focus following tiredness. However, not everyone drinks the prescribed doses of coffee everyday, with many drinkers consuming a few cups to keep them alert so they can get through the daily slog counteracting some of the benefits associated with coffee consumption.

During my PhD, I became dependent on coffee: without my caffeine kick in the morning at about 10:30 am I found it impossible to get through the day. Getting that first coffee in the morning was consuming and prevented me from starting many experiments and made me make half-hearted attempts to start assays in the morning. The mention of coffee by a lab mate would instantly make me drop what I was doing and run downstairs to the coffee shop and order a double shot Americano. There was no experiment that I would not stop, delay or bin just to get that coffee and potentially a muffin. They had a great deal on of coffee and a muffin for 3.50 pounds so how could I resist! Caffeine, sugar and fat was to power me through the rest of my experiments for the day. Following my strong coffee I would get a rush of adrenaline, feel more anxious and stressed, and look for options around me not to do lab or desk work. Ironically, I was looking for caffeine to give me a boost or energy to perform my experiments, but instead it made me sometimes lose focus, become jittery and anxious. According to the NIH caffeine too much caffeine can result in: restlessness, anxiety, and irritability. It may also keep you from sleeping well and cause headaches, abnormal heart rhythms, or other problems.

And that was just morning... By the time 3'o clock arrived, I would be on the slow and painful caffeine slump, assays were now harder to set up, papers were harder to read and my stress levels were through the roof from not getting my experiments done because I went for coffee that morning. So what better way to combat the slump but go and get another coffee. Having another coffee would allow me to work a few more hours, or even into the night where I could catch up on where I missed out during the day. However, this time I would be more hyped up on caffeine and looking for any other distraction so I wouldn't have to do some lab work.

Like weaning yourself off heroin, the withdrawal symptoms from caffeine can be headaches, anxiety, vomiting, sleepiness, muscle pain, depression and lack of concentration. However, if this meant that you would be less anxious, more focused on lab work and didn't fear the small problems in the lab it would be worth it in the long run.

Looking back on my PhD and Post-Doc I definitely think I could have shaved a good few months off my 5 year PhD if I didn't drink coffee and would have been more productive during my Post-Doc instead of running off for every little break to have a coffee. And who knows, I might have got that Nature paper!

How to switch to a plant-based diet

My mom's main advice throughout exams and periods of hard workd was always: make sure you eat well and sleep enough. I've written about sleeping enough in the past, and I've mentioned you should eat well and not live on vending machine snacks if you want to stay healthy and productive.

Before I continue, I want to share a word of caution with you, or actually two words of caution - if you allow me. The first one is that I am not a nutrionist. If you are planning to make drastic choices with regard to your food, it can be wise to consult a doctor, and/or track your (micro)nutrient intake to make sure you get everything you need. You can do this tracking for example through my fitness pal. Second word of caution: I'm not writing this post to "convert" anybody. If you want to include more plant foods in your meals, this post is for you. If you want to go fully plant-based, I'm happy for the animals, the environment, and you. If the idea of eating vegetables creeps you out, then do please track your food intake to see if you're not missing any vitamins.

For many of us, eating healthy will mean including more fruit and vegetables into our meals, which are chockful of micronutrients. If you switch from salty, fatty take-out food to bowls of grains, vegetables, and a source of protein, you might already start to feel a difference in your energy levels. In today's post, I will focus on how to switch to plant-based meals. You might like to try and have a veggie meal once a week to see how it works for you. Or you can use some of these ideas to prepare more vegetables, and then have a piece of animal protein on the side.

With that said, let's have a look at how you can switch to a diet that is richer in plant foods, if you want to up your intake of fruit, whole grains, legumes and vegetables. Here are some tips you can use to make this transition:

1. Replace animal protein with a bean dish or a plantmeat

If you grew up eating meals of potatoes, meat, and vegetables, it is actually not very hard to switch the meat for a bean dish or a plantmeat. If you're not used to eat beans/legumes, make sure you buy them dried, soak them for 24 hours, wash them very well, and then cook them - nd give your body some time to get used to digesting beans. There are a large number of commercial "plantmeats" that make replacing animal protein even easier: every supermarket sells a veggieburger that you can use. Just keep in mind that these processed plantmeats are still a processed product, sometimes high in sodium, and that antyhing you whip up from scratch in your kitchen is usually healthier, and certainly fresher.

2. Dairy is easy to replace

Milk is for calves. If you need dairy in a recipe, you can easily replace it with a plantbased equivalent. You can make your own nutmilks if you have a blender and a fine meshed bag, or you can buy it from the grocery store (just make sure the first ingredient is not sugar). If you are used to cook with a lot of cream-based sauces, explore other possibilities, and switch to vegetable-based sauces. A simple example is to replace alfredo sauce by arrabiata sauce.

3. Baking without eggs is not hard either

There are plenty of conversion charts you can find on the internet, such as this one below:



Flaxseed with water works wonders for binding dough, a bit of extra baking powder goes a long way in cakes, and mashed banana or applesauce thicken and sweeten dough. I'm especially a fan of getting some flaxseed into my desserts, given the micronutrients flaxseed has. (All those B-vitamins!)

4. Discover all the available whole grains and root vegetables

There is more to carbs than pasta, bread, potatoes and rice. Switch up your palate by trying out other whole grains, such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat/kasha, and all the other grains you can find. You can simply boil them, use them as flour in breads or desserts (pancakes with wheat and buckwheat flour are the best), or even buy products derived from them (there's pasta based on everything out there).

Similarly, you can switch up your regular potatoes and discover sweet potatoes, yuca, yams or plantains - one of the fun parts of going plant-based is that it is an invitation to trying out all the plantfoods out there, and break out of your regular food patterns.

5. Salads don't need to be boring

If you think a salad is just lettuce, tomato and cucumber, you might need to think again. There's just so much that you can add to salads. For flavor, try olives, artichokes, sweet corn, toasted almonds, or jalapenos. For protein, try chickpeas, black beans, lupine seeds, pieces of tofu or seitan, or lentils. For texture, add grilled vegetables or croutons or toasted dried corn. Add a vinaigrette (oil, lemon juice, a bit of mustard, and any variation of herbs or juice) to season everything and enjoy.

6. Try out veggie restaurants and recipes

To remain inspired, try out veggie restaurants and recipes you find online. You might taste something you hadn't thought of before in a restaurant, and then try to recreate the plate at home. If you're stuck in a rut, you can always look for some recipes with high ratings online and try these out.

7. Find some standard meals that work well for you

Sometimes having a bit of a rut is not a bad thing. If you have a few standard meals that work well for you, then you can lean back on these options if you are pressed for time or without inspiration for trying out something new.

Some standard options for breakfast are: pancakes, bread with avocadomash, smoothie (possibly with a plantbased protein powder)
For lunch: big salad, a sandwhich with smoked tofu, a bowl of grains-vegetables-beans, a big cup of vegetable soup
For dinner: pasta with tomato sauce and grilled mushrooms, potatoes with sauerkraut and veggie sausages, vegan pad thai, veggie-based pot pie, rice with chili, ...

8. Meal prep

If you want to make sure you have your healthy foods on hand, then prepare them. Cook in big batches, and freeze some parts for later. Cook one evening a week two or three dishes for your dinner for the rest of the week, if you don't have time every day to cook a fresh meal.

9. Talk about it

Tell your friends and family that you are trying out a plantbased diet. Explain them why you are doing this (the environment? the animals? you want to try out and see if it makes you feel more energetic?), and I'm sure they will understand. Bring some of your food so they can try it out and learn that plantbased food is not bland.

10. Know where and when to shop

You can say that vegetables are quite expensive, and that plantbased foods are too expensive to rely on. If you cook in bulk, you can buy vegetables in large quantities at a farmer's market. Grains and legumes in dried bulk are cheap as well. The expensive foods are actually the processed plantmeats, and those you can keep for a special occasion every now and then. Some supermarkets give discounts on fruit and vegetables a certain day of the week (the Megamaxi chain in Ecuador gives 20% off fruit and vegetables on Wednesday, for example). All little savings can help you be plantbased on a budget.

Interview about binaural beats

Oddly enough, one of the posts on this blog that keeps attracting a lot of visitors is my post on the use of binaural beats for studying and writing.

Based on this post, I was recently interviewed by Cynthia Liza Gregoire from London. She compiled this interview and other interviews in a podcast, and wrote a blog post about it.

As I explained in the interview, I haven't been using binaural beats that much anymore. I used them when I needed to go through long session of writing when finishing my dissertation, but by now I've mostly switched to listening to music. Either I listen to one of my favorite CDs (as long as it does not have distracting lyrics), or to one of the CDs that I am currently reviewing for Darkview.

PhD Talk Q & A: Research depression

Mostly unrelated - but, hey, here's a tucan :)

Dear readers,

I know I'm totally behind on replying questions in the Q&A series, but finally I'm back with a question I personally replied to a reader quite some time ago already.

Some time ago, I received the following message in my inbox:

Hey
I have read some of your blogs and they are really really good. They have helped me a lot in getting motivated for my research in masters. Actually i am doing my thesis in masters and now a days i am feeling very very down due to loneliness (i live in a hostel) and pressure of work. When some one gives me a motivational speech or i read some motivational stuff ( like i read yours) i am greatly motivated and promise myself to work hard on my thesis but after some time, the effect wears off and again I am back in that no motivation mood. Mostly I am locked up in my cubicle and doing nothing, and it wastes lots of my time. Most of the time I am depressed and I feel like I wont b able to complete my thesis. I am scared to do research. I only feel better when i go out of the room and meet people or socialize. But I can't do it all the time because it also wastes lots of time. I am suffering from very very low motivation and want to complete my thesis on time and submit it but I don't know i can't bring in the motivation to even open a research article and study. Sometimes i feel like i should seriously consult a psychiatrist. Sometimes negative thoughts like suicide also cross my mind. Mostly I can't even bring myself to get up and brush my teeth. I plan to go to library but even can't push myself to do that. I get up early in the morning to get ready and go to library but then i keep it pending and pending.I have wasted months i this process. Please help me. Please I seriously need help.

The first thing that came to my mind after reading this message, was that this student needs help. I'm not a professional mental health care taker, but we all know when somebody needs help, and this message spoke right to my heart. Even though it's hard to judge at a distance and I can only give a little bit of encouragement and a nudge to get help when you need it, there's always the tiny little support we can give. So I replied as follows:

Thanks for sending me your message through my blog.
Reading your message, I would like to suggest you to talk to a counselor of your university. All of us go through difficult times during our PhD, but for some people those difficulties at times appear to be impossible to overcome. From what you wrote me, I had the impression you’ve hit a really rough patch. Most universities have psychologists working for them, especially to help people in your case.

There’s no shame in asking for help when you need it. You’ll do much more damage to yourself and your studies if you try to keep up appearances, but crash in a few months from now.
I’ll write a longer post dealing with your cry for help, but in the meantime I already wanted to reach out to you and encourage you to seek support in your institution.

So remember, there's absolutely no shame in asking for help when you need it - even though in academia it might be considered as a failure. It's not - you'll only do more damage to yourself and your work if you stay in the same place where you are - a dark place where you'd rather not be hanging out for too long.

Silver Linings: Gratitude

Some time during my PhD, while the tension started to rise, I got into the habit of counting my blessings before falling asleep. Initially, I just used this technique to divert my thoughts from the entire list of Everything I have To Do Tomorrow. I noticed that it lifted my mood, helped me relax and sleep more easily. And this "technique" was very simple - I would simple think of the best 3 things that happened to me during the past day.

And then the wonderful world of the internet brought my attention to Gratitude Lists. I started to see more blog posts about gratitude lists, and see the pretty lists on Instagram. As always, I just had to hop onto the bandwagon and try it out.

Guess what? It's a win! As part of writing in my journal at night (a habit that unfortunately has suffered from my 2-continent wrestling), I add my personal gratitude list - my list of the 10 best things that happened to me during the day.

Some people simply write the best things that happened during their day - no fixed number of these, but I like having 10 numbers neatly beneath each other, and using a moment to reflect on my day. Usually, having 10 empty spots, helps me to think a little bit deeper. If I wouldn't have a fixed number of slots, I might stop after the first 3 things that come to my mind. But having 10 places to fill makes me go over my day a few times more - it helps me see more gold in my day, and going over my day already a few times prevents me from going over my day (and the next day) many times while I try to fall asleep.

For the coming week, I'd like to give you some homework:

At the end of the day (when you leave your office, or before you go to bed), make a list of the 4 best things that happened to you during the day.

There are many different things that can make it to your list:
- some progress you made at work
- beautiful weather
- something enjoyable that you ate
- sports you practiced
- your favorite song on the radio
- meeting a friend
- ...

Even when you had a day that was All Bad, push on a little bit, and think of 4 things you feel grateful for. If your day was really awful, you might still be grateful for, say, your ability to breathe, or the fact that you are healthy and have a roof over your head, plumbing in your house etc. Just to humble you for a moment and know that many things are really #firstworldproblems.

If you're ready to take your homework one notch up, try Personal Excellence's #GratitudeChallenge!

Have you tried it? What are your experiences?

Long overdue update on the VeganChallenge

For those of you who follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you might have noticed that in April this year, I joined the VeganChallenge. I mostly joined out of curiosity (I'm always in for doing a little experiment here and there and see how lifestyle changes affect my energy and productivity), and because I planned to try going vegan for a month anyway.

In the months before the Challenge, I already moved away from dairy products, because all the food poisoning I had in Ecuador pretty much left me lactose-intolerant. I can eat cheese, and enjoy it, but then most likely I will feel awful or even sick for the next few hours or even throughout the next day. Not good. But the day before the Challenge, I got scared, and hamstered on all what I thought I would be missing: tons of salmon and goat cheese. But no, I didn't really miss anything, and most of all, I loved the energy and clear state of my brain that I got. I wrote about it on a forum time ago:

And then, in April in joined Holland's VeganChallenge. I've never been vegan/vegetarian in my life, but I was becoming more and more curious and decided to take the experiment. I have read all the warnings around here, and the stories of women for whom a vegan lifestyle was aggravating their symptoms, and I started the VeganChallenge with that in mind, with the idea that I'd never take my food as a religion and become dogmatic, and that, more than anything, I would listen to my body. But in that month, I had great results: my skin is clearer than ever before, and my PCOS symptoms went away. I also feel like I have tons of energy. I joined the gym in March, and started taking BodyPump classes about 6 weeks ago again after not working out for more than a year.... In that time, I got stronger than I was "at my peak" 3 years ago after 1,5 years of consistent training. I don't have a scale, but I feel that my clothes are loosen and I see myself as much more toned. The VeganChallenge month ended at the end of April, but I've remained mostly plant-based. I've had chard-patties in my favorite veggie restaurant that obviously are made with some egg, but when I cook for myself, it's plant-based. I don't feel attracted to eating animals at all anymore, but I'm OK with eating eggs occasionally if my body would let me know that I somehow need them.

And since May, since the end of the VeganChallenge, I've been eating what I call a 95% plant-based diet. Some things that I eat outside of my own kitchen contain egg. No big deal for me. In fact, I've been surprised about how easy it is to find plant-based dishes at restaurants. My biggest worry was that the VeganChallenge would interfere with my social life, but it hasn't. I still love my red wine, and I know I can check Barnivore to see if a particular wine is filtered with animal products, but since finding good wine in Ecuador is a difficult one, I've just been glad to find affordable red wine that tastes good, without checking if it's also animal-friendly. As I mentioned before, I'm doing my best, but I prefer stating that I eat 95% plant-based, rather than attaching the label of "vegan" to myself. Nonetheless, my consciousness is happy with the fact that my meals are a little more friendly for the environment, the animals, and apparently myself, than the meals I was having before.

The next VeganChallenge is in October, and I'll be joining in again, and I am looking forward to trying out new and exciting plant-based recipes.

Why consuming sugar is a bad idea

I used to haul a big package of cookies and coffee into my office to get some serious work done, but over time, I noticed that sugar and fat make me really sleepy. Way back in 2010 I already wrote about that problem. I can eat a lot of crap without gaining much weight, and I often used that as an excuse to eat all those bad things, but in the end it makes me exhausted and lethargic.

When I came across this lecture on the effect of sugar -or better, high fructose corn syrup- I understood the deeper-lying issues with consuming processed (sugary) foods in large amounts (I put the sugary part in between brackets because virtually every food item from the central aisles of the grocery store that comes with a bar code has high fructose corn syrup in it, not just the sweet products).

Even though I don't support Dr. Lustig's quick recommendation that you should eat paleo (I'm more into whole foods plant-based eating), and don't support the conclusion some people (not Dr. Lustig himself) seem to draw when it comes to eating fruit, which contains fructose as well and thus "poison", this lecture is very interesting.

Take 90 minutes today while you prepare and have your dinner, and watch this instead of kitty videos:

When exercise takes the backseat

Tenure, She Wrote recently published a post on exercise routines, and I really recognized my own experiences in that post.

It's counter-intuitive, but it always happens: whenever I am burried in work, stressed out and need exercise the most, I start skipping on it.

For that reasons, I left the following comment:

Excellent post – and an important topic!
I’m in the same boat as you. Moving countries, changing jobs, transitioning from PhD student to assistant professor and all that threw my workout schedule out of balance. Plus, my husband loves eating out. So I was getting pretty out of shape, catching my breath while running the stairs and so on.
About a month ago, I joined the gym. I’m still fidgeting with my schedule (morning workouts? lunch break workouts? evening workouts?), but I’m already feeling (and seeing) the benefits. I’ve joined Holland’s VeganChallenge for the month of April, so my meals have been mostly very clean combinations of grains, beans and tons of veggies – what a change that makes in how I feel as well!

The first months here in Ecuador, I did not exercise much at all. When I came here, I had a good morning yoga-routine, but I started to slack and eventually lost the habit. I also noticed that yoga alone is not enough for me: I need to lift some weights as well, and do some fun cardio workouts (like Zumba) from time to time as well.

Signing up for the gym was certainly a good idea. I've been going frequently, enjoying the different classes that are offered, and lifting weights a few times a week.

Getting started with going to the gym again reminded me of the importance of doing exercise. Even when traveling, or when you can't commit to a gym membership, you should attempt to move for at least 20 minutes a day.

Here are a few ideas for what you can do when exercise takes a backseat:

1. Walk

Get out of your office when you need to do some thinking work, and walk around. Walk to campus if it's not too far. Go for a walk around the block in the evening to finish off your working day. Start to build the habit of moving back into your schedule.

2. Short online workouts

There is a wealth of information right at your fingertips. You can find a list of online yoga videos here. For strength training, you can try BodyRock. And then there are countless channels on YouTube and phone apps that give you short workouts focused on bodyweight exercises.

3. Reconsider your schedule

If you can't find 20 minutes' worth of time in a day for exercise, you might have a problem with your schedule. Maybe it's time to rethink your responsibilities and delegate some work. Maybe you need to become a little more efficient. But if the President of the USA can find time every day to exercise, then what's your excuse?

4. Make it fun

If you've been slacking, reflect on why you have not been working out. Did you lose your motivation? Are you pushing yourself too hard, or are you lacking a challenge? Try to find out what is missing, so that you can find a workout schedule that not only works, but that is so much fun and enjoyable that you won't feel tempted to skip it.

Silver Linings: Hydrate yourself!

I recently came across an article that showed the metamorphosis of a 42-year-old woman who went from not drinking much water at all, to drinking 3 liters of water a day. She hopes to solve digestion problems and headaches, and ended up looking a couple of years younger.

That article reminded me of how important it is to drink enough fluids. Tea and coffee our soft drinks don't really count - and the rule of thumb is that you need a cup of water for every cup of tea or coffee you drink, to balance out the dehydrating effect of caffeine. By the same token, alcohol dehydrates you - ever noticed being extremely thirsty after a night out? Ever noticed how much less of hangover you get when you remember to down a couple of cups of water before going to bed after a few too many drinks? Dehydration can be unpleasant, to say the least...

One of the effects of not drinking enough water, is that you might feel tired. So next time when you try to read a paper and feel like dozing off, try a large cup of cold water - you'd be surprised to see how the fog disappears from your brain.

And the question remains: how much water should you drink per day? Well, as WebMD suggests - it depends. However, if you drink less than 1,5 liters of water a day, you might be missing out on the fun!

So, in short: Auntie Eva tells you to have a cup of water. Cheers!

Staying Healthy in Graduate School

Today, I have the pleasure of inviting Emily Newhook for a guest post. Emily is an outreach coordinator for the MHA degree program from The George Washington University, MHA@GW. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, writing short stories and horror movies. Follow Emily on Twitter @EmilyNewhook and Google+


Juggling graduate academics and, well, anything else is a major challenge. But whether you're studying health care or a totally unrelated subject, maintaining your overall wellbeing can go a long way helping you function at the top of your game. Here are some ways prioritize academics and health without cutting corners.

Stay Fit

Studies have shown that exercise actually improves brain function. With a few efficient maneuvers, you can insert chunks of physical activity into your busy schedule to boost your brain while you break a sweat.

• Make gym clothes your outfit of choice. Wear them to class, and stop for a quick workout before resuming your sedentary studies. ItUll make the path to the gym the road-more-traveled Q since convenience and action go hand-in-hand.
• Take the scenic route. You may think that short cut to class is a brilliant idea, but not if you pass up a chance to get more exercise while youUre at it. Pick the longer route to fit some extra cardio into your schedule.
• Put some air in your tires. That bicycle in the corner functions better as a transportation device than a clothing receptacle. Pump a little life in the tubes, and use it to get to your next destination.
• Study while you sweat. Those treadmill bookracks hold more than just magazines. Take your required reading and get ahead on assignments while you work off your stress.
• Make exercise part of your curriculum. Discipline is already part of your mindset Q youUre in grad school, after all. Set a schedule you can follow P maybe just two-three days a week to start P and treat it like a class with a rigid attendance policy. If youUre able to maintain it through the entire semester, try adding a day.

Eat Well

A proper diet benefits overall health, including brain function, and also increases energy levels and self-esteem. Healthy eating does take some effort, but itUs possible with a little planning.

• Choose inexpensive options. Buying quality food can make a dent in your wallet, but a few simple strategies can help you stay within your budget. Gather a group to share bulk purchases at warehouse clubs, purchase generic brands, stock up on seasonal produce and use coupons to save money.
• Plan ahead. Make a weekly menu so youUll know what to buy, cook in bulk to optimize your efforts, be creative with leftovers by adding them to multiple dishes and avoid vending machines by keeping healthy snacks on hand.
• Make calories count. A high-protein snack worth 100 calories is more filling than a cookie of equal caloric value. Check labels before you indulge, pay attention to portion sizes and focus on quality over quantity.

Avoiding Illness

The last thing you need on the eve of that exam is a tickle in the back of your throat. Remember a few simple habits to help keep sickness at bay.

• Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep threatens your immune system. Sleep deprivation ranks right up there with stress for its impact on optimal health.
• Wash your hands. Research shows that proper hand washing results in lower illness and absenteeism rates.
• Take your vitamins. Although Vitamin C is often the go-to supplement people choose, studies are mixed on its actual benefits. Vitamin D, however, is proven to increase your ability to fight off respiratory infections.
• Get vaccinated. Getting the flue vaccine is a good idea Q a matter for you and your doctor to discuss.
• Eat well and exercise. This list wouldn't be complete without a reminder about proper diet and exercise, which also help ward off illness.

Seek Out Support

An independent spirit is key to surviving grad school, but it can also hold you back if you're always determined to go it alone. Some health problems, such as mental illness, eating disorders and physical injuries, can't be solved through simple lifestyle choices. Feeling some stress is one thing, but feeling perpetually overwhelmed or hopeless is an entirely different ball game. Stay in touch with close friends and family, who can help you gauge what's normal and healthy behavior for you. Every graduate student's experience is different, and staying healthy in such a pressure-cooker environment takes practice. Committing to everyday healthy habits is key. Making consistent efforts to incorporate health, however small, can also help reinforce the connections between physical and psychological health P and emphasize why both are so crucial to academic success.

Silver Linings: Bikram Yoga

When I was still in Belgium, I tried out a bikram yoga class in Antwerp. In Pittsburgh, I had tried a hot yoga class, but I was still very curious about bikram yoga.

So, I decided to see what all the buzz is about. Even though I had to drive half an hour 40 minutes to get to the studio and take out an entire Saturday afternoon for this adventure, I decided it was time to make this decision and explore something new, instead of strolling through my hometown, checking out the stores -even though I hardly ever buy anything- and then heading for a tearoom to indulge in pancakes, icecream or waffles. Why not opt for something slightly more healthy and certainly more invigorating?

Unfortunately, the first Saturday class I was planning to attend got cancelled as not enough students showed off. Next Sunday, I tried my luck again - and could experience a bikram yoga class for the first time.

Unlike most yoga classes that I have tried in the past that were mostly vinyasa flow classes, in bikram yoga the asanas are held for a longer time. To learn the asanas correctly, I do think holding them for a longer time, and having the teacher tell you to move your hips, knees and whatever, helps building the correct technique.

Other classes that I've taken are based on the teacher showing what to do in the front, and occasionally walking around. At bikram Antwerp, the teacher continuously talks, and walks around the class.

To my surprise, bikram yoga does not do downward dog poses. No shoulder stands or head/hand stands or armbalances either. A little less of focus on breathing (in my experience, although that could be because I had to concentrate really hard on the movements themselves).

One of the main advantages of bikram yoga, is that it follows the same sequence - every time, regardless where in the world you might be. As I'm mostly on the go, being able to practice the same routine, and improving that routine, regardless of where I am, is a major win.

However, I really couldn't pick between bikram yoga and hot yoga, vinyasa-flow-style. Both are lovely, and I hope to see more hot rooms pop up wherever I travel.

If you too are interested in bikram yoga, I'd advice you to read this guide to your first bikram class - and, well, spend some time on the Self Help Hipster blog, because the way she writes about bikram yoga makes you want to go and try it out. And it might have been related to my eagerness for trying out bikram yoga.

Have you tried out bikram yoga, or another form of hot yoga?

Writers' Lab: Healing through writing

Today, I have the honor to invite Bridgette Dembowski in the writers' lab to share her story on how writing can work as a healing tool, amongst others, for veterans. Bridgette G. Dembowski is the Director of Communications for Bare the Burden Project, a national non-profit agency that serves US military members and veterans recovering from trauma exposure and other invisible psychological wounds of war. Bare the Burden focuses on providing its online community with writing exercises, an anonymous forum for discussion of difficult topics, opportunities to engage in self-reflection, positive peer-to-peer-interaction, and personal growth and healing through the writing process. Mrs. Dembowski is also a contributing author to the edited book project, Diagnosing Folklore: Perspectives on Mental Health, Trauma, and Disability, edited by Trevor J. Blank and Andrea Kitta, scheduled for publication in 2015. Mrs. Dembowski holds a Master's Degree in Human Development and Family Sciences from Oklahoma State University and is currently studying Psychology at Kansas State University. She is married to Captain Matthew J. Dembowski, the Apache Troop Commander of the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, under the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, U.S. Army. They have one child, Benjamin, who is a 2-year-old budding visual artist and wordsmith, and live in Manhattan, Kansas.

Ernest Hemingway once stated that writing one true declarative statement was all one needed to begin the writing process. Write one thing that is true. Start there. For many, writing is not only a form of communication or story telling, but a tool for self-discovery and healing. Writing in the form of correspondence as well as journaling has been shown to be beneficial for those suffering from loss, grief, traumatic exposure, and other invisible wounds.
The one true statement that Hemingway calls for may be a starting point for some; but in other cases, the one true statement is an achievement and a victory all its own.

As a mental health advocate and a senior member of a non-profit organization that serves military members and veterans, I see writing as an opportunity for healing and growth after victimization, experience, and/or exposure to trauma. Our organization, Bare the Burden, hosts a website that contains an online application. This application provides its users with an interactive and supportive group of peers, bound by their shared experiences of military life and exposure to traumatic situations (including: combat involvement, dangerous environmental exposure, witnessing disturbing images, and others). This site is a safe haven for users to talk to one another, and to write about their memories, experiences, and daily struggles. The focus of the site is to help trauma survivors grow and learn from their experiences. This is accomplished primarily through a guided process that includes writing exercises tailored to the individual user's particular traumatic experience, as well as peer-to-peer interaction and encouragement through written correspondence.

Writing is used as a way for trauma survivors to acknowledge what happened to them or in their presence. It is a way for them to tell their truth, to explore their memories, to examine the fragments of emotions, images, and jumbled sensory perceptions that often times accompany trauma exposure.

That one moment, that one initial post, when a trauma survivor tells their own truth to a community of similar others, peers who are waiting and willing to hear what that individual has to say about what happened to them, that is both terrifying and beautiful. That is the beginning of the process. The truth is exposed. The truth is known, and it can be explored through further directed writing exercises and through open communication between members within the community who may have had similar experiences.

This group-based approach to trauma recovery has been shown to improve the personal mental and physical health of individual group members. Community members give strength and courage to each other to continue on their individual paths to post-traumatic experience recovery and growth. The group is in turn strengthened and empowered in its mission to improve the lives of its members. Once the individual's story is told, the doors are opened. The individual learns that they do not have to suffer in silence. The user learns that talking about the event(s) of the past not only help themselves, but help others. The individual who takes the first step and writes, then becomes the individual who shares insights with others, encourages new members, and remains within the community of writers. Together, they become stronger and encourage one another towards recovery. They develop their own personal insights through their writings over time. Writing is a process, and that process of exploration, examination, and description is a powerful tool for acceptance and for growth post-trauma.

Although I am speaking of the usefulness of writing as a tool for military affiliated trauma survivors seeking relief from a painful past, much of what I am saying about writing, the action and the "doing" of writing, is applicable to really anyone, and most certainly to those navigating the stressful and often volatile world of higher-education.

To you readers who carry the weight of resentment, disappointment, guilt, unfair treatment, hopelessness, fear, or anger, I say this:
Write about it.
Write one thing that is true.
Let it out onto the paper.
No one has to see it.
Tell yourself your truth.
Write what is true, and go from there.
You have as much to gain from the experience of acknowledging your truth and exploring your thoughts and emotions regarding that truth, as any one else.

Silver Linings: On becoming totally unmoved by stressful situations

The final months of writing my dissertation, preparing my work for publication and defending my research could have been really stressful months, but I choose not to run on the hamsterwheel and keep my head cool.

I haven't always been so cold-blooded. As a student, I used to be quite anxious for exams - sometimes up to a state of paralysis where I couldn't study because I was worrying so much about not having enough time to study, and consequently didn't really do great on the exam itself.

Over time, I learned how to plan my time, how to study for my exams and what effort was necessary to do great - it gave me confidence, and a sense of control over the situation. If I pour in X hours of concentrated studying, I'm sure I'll get >80% on the exam.

At the beginning of my PhD, that sense of control and "knowing how to do things" were completely gone. Even though I knew how to study, I still had to learn how to research. I was the novice again, and -admittedly- was falling back into patterns of worry and wondering how to assess my work. When is it good enough? How do I even do this?

But by failing, learning, improving and testing the waters, my confidence grew again. I traveled that learning curve faster than during my studies. By the time my nerves had to stand the test against the dissertation, they were as strong as a concrete slab.

Of course, my heart beat went up as I saw the long list of comments from the committee, or when I couldn't get a hold of my supervisor when he had to sign the paperwork. But overall, I just kept calm, figured out what needed to be done, and planned for it. Piece of cake.

I didn't totally overwork myself - yet I did stay in for Saturday and Sunday when necessary, or until later in the evening. But, overall, I had enough time to sleep, do sports, eat my veggies, meditate and write for fun.

You, too, could keep calm and carry on. Ditch the drama, roll up your sleeves and move forward: one edit at a time; one graph, one cup of tea and one paragraph at a time. That is all it takes. It is simple, but not easy.