The Jasper Local July 15, 2017

a lt e r n at i v e +

LOCAL + independent

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thejasperlocal.com

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saturday, july 15, 2017 // ISSUE 101

WEE & WILY // THESE COYOTE PUPS WERE EXPLORING THEIR NEW SURROUNDINGS WHEN PHOTOGRAPHER SIMONE HEINRICH SPOTTED THEM IN A PLAYFUL MOMENT. // SIMONE HEINRICH

Tour of Alberta rolling out recruitment team The Local Organizing Committee for the ATB Tour of Alberta is recruiting volunteers.

Canada’s highest ranked professional road cycling race is coming to Jasper September 1 and the word is out: volunteering for the event is pretty darn fun.

“It was an unreal experience from start to finish,” said Trina Mickelsen, who was the LOC’s volunteer coordinator in 2015. “I was on a race high for a week.”

Before the Tour of Alberta raced through Jasper two years ago, Mickelsen, a mountain biker, hadn’t really watched road cycling. However, the energy of the peloton was infectious: she, along with 150 other volunteers, helped Jasper host the event.

“Watching the event and seeing those riders come across the finish line was awesome,” she said. “It was an amazing experience.”

Last time the Tour of Alberta came to Jasper, the community hosted two of the race’s five stages. This September, Jasper hosts only one: the opening stage. Mickelsen and the LOC want to get the word out that it’s time for those Jasperites who want to join in to start thinking about how they’d like to help. “[Positions] will fill up fast,” she said. “Volunteers were coming from all over Canada to volunteer for the race and to see Jasper.”

With that in mind, those wanting to help out with the event can sign up at www.tourofalberta.ca/volunteer or email Mickelsen, jasper.volunteer@gmail.com.

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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 101 // saturday, july 15, 2017

editorial //

Local Vocal When did the Jasper Buy Sell and Trade Facebook group become a query board for matters of public safety?

When you are ISO an amateur DJ, want to poll the trolls on Jasper’s best pizza or even if you’re looking for suggestions on where to bring your car for an oil change, I get it, Facebook can be your friend. It’s amazing what people will throw out there, expecting an informed answer, and it’s even more incredible to see the comments pour in, expertise be darned.

But when it comes to life and death scenarios, such as whether or not the national park is on fire and whether or not Jasper residents and visitors ought to be hightailing it out of town, social media is the last place to be spending time filtering through misinformed and myopic replies. In reality, a precise answer to your pressing matter is only a click or a phone call away.

Last week, when smoke poured into the Athabasca Valley from wildfires burning in B.C., residents understandably got worked up.

Memories of the 2015 Medicine Lake/Excelsior fire are still vivid. The Fort McMurray disaster last year was a wake-up call for those living in a forested landscape, and one look at the beetle blight west of town reminds us that we aren’t immune to potentially similar states of emergency.

Panic, however, has little use when it comes to responding to public safety hazards. When we spray social media with our worst fears or insert an unenlightened opinion into the public sphere, we counter the good work public officials are attempting to do to keep communication lines clear. Moreover, it’s a vicious cycle. You may very well have read that someone in Clearwater told you the worst is yet to come, or remember the last time this happened it was no big deal, but all of that hearsay is noise that will inevitably need to be cut through by the agencies and organizations who—unlike that friend of a Facebook friend—have the expertise and the resources to get the correct messages out.

While it’s nice of you to care, it’s better to shelve those perspectives and direct your fellow Facebookers to the places where they can get clear, concise and up-to-date expert information: emergencyalert.alberta.ca, www.jasperalberta.com, our local emergency hotline (780852-3311) and reputable media outlets.

Public safety officials have enough to worry about as long as the forecast is calling for more heat. Don’t add fuel to the fire by blowing smoke. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

Front line staff make the least, take the most Thank you for acknowledging Jasper’s front line workers!

It’s termed ‘front line’ for good reason. Jasper front liners, or JFLers, work under combat conditions more often than not.

These are good people who make the least but have to take the most.

Last year, I dubbed it the Summer of Stupid and semi-seriously considered constructing a wall of our own. Jasperites, I envisioned, would purchase bricks to support the cause.

I dreamed that if we built it, maybe they wouldn’t come. Of course, a

wall has proven to be utter nonsense.

Captain Obvious told me tourists are essential to a tourist town and “grin and bear it” doesn’t mean unleashing grizzlies at guests while grinning. Sigh.

So again the Summer of Stupid is upon us and I worry about JFLers.

JFLers are expected to take the cuss out of customer service and answer mind-numbing questions like “Where y’all git yur animals from?”

(Mother Nature is our main supplier); “What time do you let the animals out?” (Ian accidentally took the key home so they’re running a little late).

The Jasper Local //

Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0

Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher

Bob Covey.................................................................................... bob@thejasperlocal.com Art Director

Nicole Gaboury.................................................................. nicole@thejasperlocal.com Advertising + sales

..............................................................................................................ads@thejasperlocal.com cartoonist

Deke.................................................................................................deke@thejasperlocal.com

facebook.com/thejasperlocal

@thejasperlocal

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// Local festivals

saturday, july 15 2017 // issue 101 // the jasper local// page A3

WILD MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL HAS HAD TREMENDOUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT // SARAH BURNS

Ten years of rock over the Rockies Festival is not just surviving, it’s thriving. On July 14-16, WMMF and 5,000 patrons celebrated a decade of rock overlooking the Rockies.

“Anybody interested in starting a Headliners 54-40, Randy Bachman music festival meet at 429 Collinge and Matt Anderson helped ring in the Road at 4 p.m.” it read. Seabrook, who milestone. had founded the Mountain Beats and Of course big names cost big bucks.

Blues festival in Revelstoke in 1999, Wild Mountain organizers got their wanted to gauge the interest level hands on a Community Initiatives for organizing a Hinton event. The Program grant from the Alberta response took him by surprise. government to bring in Colin James “There were 20 people that showed up in 2009. They also had in-kind at my house,” he recalled. “That told support in the way of power needs me a lot.” and the festival site. Those big ticket donations are considerations that A year or so later, Seabrook and the Seabrook thinks the Municipality of rest of the festival committee were Jasper should take seriously when it surrounded by about 600 people at Entrance Ranch, southwest of Hinton, comes to supporting the Jasper Folk Music Festival, which was cancelled taking in the first incarnation of the this year for lack of site options.

Wild Mountain Music Festival.

“We survived,” Seabrook remembered. “To keep having pride in a festival it to succeed,” he said.

Ten years later, Wild Mountain Music has bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com Eleven years ago, Layne Seabrook put an ad in a Hinton newspaper.

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// Letter cont.

“Why are there so many Aussies?” (Some questions can’t be answered).

Ridiculous queries alone won’t phase a seasoned JFLer, however. It’s the rude, the boorish and the delusional—with a false sense of entitlement—that make them wonder if a daily dose

of fresh hell is really worth it.

Let me be clear. Most tourists are wonderful folk who give JFLers the strength to do their job with a smile. Unfortunately, the ones described above make quitting sound like a clever career choice.

So tip well, Jasper. Say thanks

and mean it. Appreciate and understand what a JFLer has to endure. Yes, we need tourists but we also need front line workers. Otherwise, you may have to do it yourself— and judging by the current glut of job openings, it doesn’t seem you want to.

- Jim Dillon, Jasper, AB

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page B1 // the jasper local // issue 100 // saturday, july 1, 2017

Local public safety //

Panic less, prepare more as wildfire risk heats up If disaster hits in Jasper, the Couture/Hilworth family will be ready.

Three generations of Jasperites had a family meeting recently to discuss the logistics of getting out of town in the case of an emergency evacuation order.

“We’ve got a plan, just in case,” said Sheila Couture.

That plan includes not just keeping the family cars full of gas and keeping a 72-hour emergency kit handy, but establishing muster points just outside of town, THOUSANDS OF B.C. RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED DUE TO WILDFIRES. depending on which way traffic is JASPERITES NEED TO BE PREPARED, LOCAL OFFICALS WARN. // SUPPLIED directed.

“We basically have a full camping were cues to evacuate. Van Tighem would also put the word out by outfit ready to go, plus passports stressed that in the event of an going door to door, if necessary. and birth certificates, photo emergency, instructions on what’s What can’t be counted on, is social media hearsay. albums, hard drives and a first aid happening and what to do will be kit,” Couture said. clear. (The sirens were motor vehicle “Don’t rely on Facebook,” the fire accident alerts for first responders). chief stressed.

That’s the kind of preparation Jasper’s fire chief likes to see.

“Anytime smoke is in the valley Instead, rely on good preparation.

Every summer Greg Van Tighem and the local fire hazard rating is in While the Municipality of Jasper bangs the drum of emergency extreme, people are on high alert,” and Jasper National Park have evacuation preparation. His main Van Tighem said. “But when there processes in place to prioritize message: the onus is on individuals is a real situation people will hear public safety and community to get themselves to safety. the message ‘yes, it’s time to leave.’” infrastructure, Jasper is still in a precarious position, situated as it “The bottom Various media and PREP YOUR KIT is in the confluence of the Miette, line is that in communications Find a detailed list of what Athabasca and Maligne Valleys. a worst-case outlets will spread to pack in your 72-hour Add to that situation a pine beetlescenario—a the word. Residents emergency kit at www. affected forest contributing to larger wildfire should be aware of jasper-alberta.com with limited the local emergency fuel loads and the “right” weather conditions, and the townsite looks warning—you information and very vulnerable indeed. need to be road report hotline, capable of getting in a car or other 780-852-3311, as well as the radio “In the worst case scenario, under mode of transportation and get out broadcast channel 93.5 FM CJAG. unfortunately ideal conditions, of town in the direction you’re told, In the event of an emergency, we could very well see a full and do so as soon as possible,” Van both outlets will have up-to-date evacuation of Jasper,” Van Tighem Tighem said. information on the nature of the said. incident, locations of evacuation Wildfires are burning across The Municipality of Jasper and registration centres and instructions Parks Canada have worked to British Columbia. The resulting for residents and tourists. The smoke in the Athabasca Valley, mitigate the risk. From 2003 to municipality’s website, www. plus the thought of last year’s Fort 2011 the partners spent millions jasper-alberta.com, as well as the McMurray disaster, have put some of dollars undertaking actions province’s emergency alert website to manage fuel loads. However, folks on edge. Some members of and app (emergencyalert.alberta. local Facebook groups were hitting recently, the organizations have the panic button last week, asking if ca) will have current info, too. Bylaw had to downsize their ambitions. officers and fire brigade members the sirens heard throughout Jasper Money to remove beetle-affected trees in and around the townsite didn’t come in from the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta in the amount Van Tighem had hoped; working with only $200K of the $400,000 he applied for means the work will similarly be halved.

“Right now, with what we have, we’re taking baby steps,” he said.

Parks Canada has limitations with what they can do, too. Working in the context of a national park means the federal agency won’t remove large stands of trees; its fuel load removal is limited to leading edge stands and

Be Prepared for an Emergency Evacuation Alert or Order Plan ◊ Plan a common meeting place ◊ Keep vehicle fuel tanks at least 3/4 full ◊ Make plans for emergency travel with neighbours or friends if you don’t have access to a vehicle ◊ Listen to local news and radio, visit www.jasper-alberta.com, emergencyalert. alberta.ca, call 780-852-3311

Pack ◊ Wear and pack season-appropriate clothing ◊ Pack cash and credit cards ◊ Pack medications, eye glasses, documents, photos and identification ◊ Pack blankets, sleeping bags and headlamps ◊ Pack pets and their leashes, crates and food

Prepare ◊ Close all windows and doors ◊ Remove light window coverings and other combustibles from windows ◊ Gather lawn furniture and toys away from structures ◊ Hook up garden sprinklers but don’t turn them on ◊ Shut off gas and electrical appliances except refrigerators and freezers ◊ Move propane tanks away from your house

Pull out ◊ Leave exterior lights to show power is on ◊ Lock your home individual tree removal.

“We don’t do industrial-style logging in a national park,” Parks Canada’s resource conservation manager, Sal Rasheed, explained.

“Nor does industrial-style logging show itself to be effective for mountain pine beetle.”

Still, the science on beetle-affected pine forests indicates that fuel loads are more flammable and more easily ignited under moderate conditions.

Fire spreads an average of 2.7 times faster than it does in healthy mature pine forests (Perrakis, Lanovill, Taylor and Hicks, Fire Ecology Volume 10, Issue 2, 2014). This effect can last for three to five years or longer, depending on the duration of the MPB outbreak.

Those type of numbers press the point for Van Tighem that residents must be ready to move if officials send out an evacuation alert or order.

“The more each individual is prepared, the more effective, efficient and safe the evacuation will be,” Van Tighem said.

As for the Couture/Hilworth family, they’re counting themselves among the prepared, and therefore the safe. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com

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saturday, july 15, 2017 // issue 101 // the jasper local// page B2

Local climbing //

On ropes and rodents: Finding your inner hamster On June 15, 2017 I had the privilege of witnessing Audrey Piche send her first 5.12 at the Rock Gardens.

I remember loving the chill vibe that evening. We did a couple 5.10 warm ups and were laughing and joking the whole way up, relishing the opportunity to get our hands on some Canadian limestone.

Neither of us could believe that we had the entire crag to ourselves. Everything was perfect: the temperature, the humidity level, and most importantly, our mental focus.

After warming up, Audrey decided to try Fairy Godmother Direct, a 5.12a climb she’d been working on all spring. She made it more than halfway up when her foot slipped unexpectedly and she weighted the rope.

Soon after, Bruno Tassone and Sam Wall arrived at the crag. They also intended to take advantage of the beautiful night and work a few projects of their own. The four of us chatted for a bit, then Bruno and Sam continued to their climbing goals for the evening.

AUDREY PICHE HAD BEEN WORKING ON FAIRY GODMOTHER DIRECT, A 5.12A CLIMB AT THE ROCK GARDENS, SINCE THE SPRING. // JEFF LEWIS

The beginning of Fairy Godmother is pretty burly. Audrey made it up this section, clipped the third bolt and to my surprise said, “I feel relaxed, like a hamster.”

Now, hamsters aren’t exactly ambassadors of calm. They Audrey looked are always up at Fairy running on Godmother, “The camaraderie their hamster envisioning each instilled in climbers can wheels in their section and the be incredible. We all hamster cages, moves required to congratulated Audrey on in a hurry to get through them. such an amazing feat.” go nowhere As she visualized fast. Was the climb, she my climbing pulled her arms in partner being sarcastic?

Did she front of her. Her wrists were bent know something about hamsters and her hands pointed towards I didn’t? Suddenly, Audrey began the ground. Like the good friend to laugh hysterically and I realized that I am, I pointed out her that she was referencing the hand resemblance to a bunny rabbit. gesture for which I had made fun We laughed for a moment and of her earlier. In her ordeal on Audrey decided to give the route one final attempt for the evening. the rock, the exact type of small mammal she bore semblance to I told her to not worry about climbing it clean, to just have fun; was lost in translation. Alas, it was just another Francophonism that after all, that’s why we climb in the first place. Audrey agreed and makes spending time with Audrey so enjoyable. chalked up her hands.

I live for these moments. We both stood there laughing for a solid minute, me at the belay and she balancing on the cliff face.

like banshees, ecstatic for her accomplishment. I let her down and squeezed the wind from her lungs with a giant bear hug.

Audrey collected herself and reset. She knew every move and had already worked through each sequence. Every hand and foot placement was with purpose; she was on a mission and wasted no time. I could hardly believe her speed but said nothing in fear of breaking her mental concentration.

Bruno and Sam came over, understanding full well what all the commotion meant.

The camaraderie instilled in climbers can be incredible. We all congratulated Audrey on such an amazing feat: her first 5.12. What a magical moment that was.

At the crux, where she had slipped on the previous attempt, I calmly reminded her to breathe, despite my own shoulders having by now attached themselves to my ears. I felt as though I was climbing with her…the end was so close. If only she could hang on…

“Yeessss!!!” Audrey screamed, as she grabbed hold of a rail below the anchor. I could hardly believe what was happening, she was celebrating three feet below the finish. What if she fell now? I couldn’t move. Soon, however, Audrey topped out like a champion. We were both screaming

The Canadian Rockies are a climbing mecca and Jasper is no exception to this rule with enough little gems to keep a climber’s heart occupied for at least a decade. So if you haven’t already, grab a copy of Northern Exposure and get out there with your friends. Or if you are new to climbing, hire a guide and learn what it’s all about. In my opinion there is no better way to experience nature than being out on the rock.

Just remember, the secret is to climb like a hamster.

Brooke Carten // info@thejasperlocal.com

SEIZE THE MOMENT // SOME MOUNTAIN FOLK PINE FOR WINTER ALL YEAR LONG. JASPERITE AND CZECH EX-PAT PETR VLACHYNSKY CATCHES A BIT OF HANG TIME HIGH ABOVE THE ICEFIELDS PARKWAY ON PARKER RIDGE. LONG SUMMER NIGHTS MEAN CRAMMING LOTS OF ACTIVITY INTO ONE DAY. THIS PIC WAS SNAPPED AT 9:30 P.M. THURSDAY JULY 13. // LADA D PHOTOGRAPHY

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page b3+B4 // the jasper local // issue 101 // saturday, july 15, 2017

FEATURE // STORY BY DOUG OLTHOF // PHOTOS BY BOB COVEY

OFF-TR EXCURS

THE ETHICS OF VEN

Standing at the top of Sunset Peak, the Queen Elizabeth and Colin ranges pouring out in front of us and bathed in the soft, orange light of a summer sunset, I had no misgivings about our decision to walk off the trail near Snow Bowl campground.

The mosquitos in camp were apocolyptic and there wasn’t a restaurant table in the world as nice as the scree-covered plateau where we were about to hunker down for dinner. My only misgiving was that we’d had to

much-extolled Skyline Trail. In our efforts to venture beyond the iconic trail system, I had no doubt

“Obviously there is a point at which off-trail hiking begins to damage the very things that draw us to these special places.“

veer off the trail and bash our way up the slope to get there, no doubt crushing some sensitive vegetation in the process. What would John Muir say?

we damaged lichens and crushed mosses as we tromped down the Jeffrey Creek drainage and scrambled up a couloir on the east side of Mount Tekarra. Would our diversions have an appreciably negative impact on those ecosystems?

Obviously there is a point at which off-trail hiking begins to damage the very things that draw us to these special places.

It was a concern that had crossed my mind earlier and one which would continue to crop up as my friend and I drew a series of wide arcs around Jasper National Park’s

Considering that the vast majority of visitors never entertain the thought of bushwhacking their way toward some distant height of land,

most areas of Jas are probably pret trampled underfo obscure backco have a funny w widely popular rock climbing a With the recen of books like A Guide to the Ro quite favourabl who’s to say mo flower flattenin become the nex

Parks Canada has regulations when random camping more than two nig and takes a proac to preventing trai but on the subjec hiking, the agenc few guidelines. O to spread out whi alpine areas wher path, while other for bushwhacking hiking can be ext the principle of “l Don’t build cairns reason, don’t carv trees, don’t start f what you pack in, though, the only w trail hiking can a

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RAIL SIONS:

NTURING BEYOND

sper National Park ty safe from being oot. But seemingly ountry pursuits way of becoming r activities (see: and ski touring). nt publication A Peakbagger’s ockies (reviewed ly in these pages), oss mashing and ng aren’t going to xt big things?

s a clear set of n it comes to (e.g. no fires, no ghts in one place) ctive approach il “braiding,” t of off-trail cy offers only a One of these is ile walking in re there is no ground rules g and off-trail trapolated from leave no trace”: s for no particular ve your name in fires, pack out , etc. Ultimately, way that offavoid damaging

pristine areas is if relatively few people are doing it and they’re not all doing it in the same place.

Looking around at the people we encountered during those three days on the Skyline Trail, the problem of heavy off-trail traffic didn’t seem particularly pressing.

Most of our fellow backcountry travellers fell into one of two categories: the ultra-runners traversing the trail in a single day, and the groups of casual hikers held back by at least one exhausted over-packer. Each group was fixated on their respective goals of finishing the trail in good time, and not being finished off by the trail.

Neither seemed likely candidates for an impromptu amble up the peaks and cols surrounding them. Luckily for those of us who are interested in such improvised excursions, most people

aren’t. For that reason, there are opportunities to enjoy delicious pasta dinners on seemingly untouched slopes just an hour’s walk from a popular backcountry campground, or to forge your own route up a well-known mountain just a few hundred meters from one of the most famous trails in the park.

If we’re creative with our choices, those plants and lichens that are inevitably crushed beneath our boots will have plenty of time to recover before the next walker ventures beyond in that particular direction. doug olthof // doug@thejasperlocal.com

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page B5 // the jasper local // issue 101 // saturday, july 15, 2017

Local music //

Young punk rocker will make you want to shout certainly impressed. Most of them couldn’t help but stand up and belt out the staccato chorus with her.

Amid the swirl of sound between open mic sets at the Jasper Legion, a young woman dressed in black leather pants and a skin tight Cramps t-shirt plugs her bass guitar into the amplifier.

“It’s cool when people kind of join in like that. I’m always trying to get them to do it more, like ‘I’m only one person up here, help me out!’”

Though Feniak is known for her punk covers, she revealed that she’s recently started writing her first originals.

Some members of the audience are noticeably curious: Who is this enigmatic figure, her brown coif of hair held in place with a plastic clip, her Fender Squier slung low and a shock of red tint on her lips?

“If I try to rhyme “dance” with “dance” one more time, just boo me off stage,” Feniak joked.

Moments later they find out.

A flurry of bass notes pierce the murmurs and soon “Midnight Grace,” as she’s known (for her tendency to choose the latest time slots at the Legion), is belting out the 1959 Isley Brothers classic, Shout (You Make Me Wanna).

She’s a jackhammer on the simple but meaty hooks. She belts out the melody and steals a glance at her finger placement as the tempo slows down for the bridge.

“I said I want you to know right now...” she lilts. “...You make me want to shout!”

Midnight Grace—Grace Feniak, in regular life—has only recently shouted her music in public, nervously showing up to jam night a year or so ago. The 23-year-old has been playing bass for more than half her life. Before that, she rocked a trombone.

Not much of an athlete, Feniak was exposed early on to many

Relentlessly self-deprecating, to other shy young rockers out there, Feniak offers a piece of advice:

PUNK’S NOT DEAD // MIDNIGHT GRACE FENIAK ON BASS GUITAR // BOB COVEY

different kinds of music. Unlike committing to a single sport, Feniak saw music as limitless.

Despite—or maybe because of— all those years of rocking out by herself, Feniak’s knees shook when she finally took her music to The Stand Easy.

bunch of accompaniment. But I’ll also play a song if it’s something I relate to, or if I think the crowd would like it. As long as someone gets something out of it.”

The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb,” a favourite cover of the young punker, is a song that the crowd “I was really nervous the first time. seems to get something out of— It sucked,” she was getting she laughed. requests for the “Push your faults. Make your “Actually, the tune before she shortcomings the coolest first handful could even plug in thing about you.“ of times were last Friday. probably “It’s dead simple terrible.” to play and people Often a one-woman act, Feniak’s song choices are largely based on whether they can be done well solo.

seem to respond to it,” Feniak said.

“People seem to be impressed by the fact that I can be really loud.”

“I can’t count on having a drummer there, so I just play what I know I can do without needing a

At the June 15 Mountains of Relief musical event, which was also held at the Legion, a packed bar was

“Push your faults. Make your shortcomings the coolest thing about you. You just have to realize that you’re going to suck the first bunch of times and you’ll live, it will be fine.”

For now, Feniak is happy to keep playing her midnight slot at The Stand Easy, however, she does have a project in mind. She hopes to round up all of the “usual suspects” at the open mic nights and have everyone record an original or two for a compilation album.

“I think it’d be cool for the people who play music in town to have something to show for it.”

If this sounds exciting to you, Feniak is looking for collaborators.

Interested rockers can contact her at feniak@hotmail.ca. megan warren // megan@thejasperlocal.com

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saturday, JUly 1, 2017 // issue 100 // the jasper local// page B6

local nutrition //

Sleep: How a good night's rest affects our nutritional capacity Now how does sleep fit into this? First of all, sleep improves your cognition and the ability to think about what would make you feel better, rather than immediately reaching for the ice cream pail.

Second, sometimes what you might be feeling in those munchie moments is exhaustion. So, try this next time: Pause and ask yourself “What am I feeling?” Is the answer run-down, stressed, bored, hungry, sad or sleepy? If you can’t label it, that’s okay – it takes practice to tune in. Next, ask “What do I need?” Sleep, a bath, some ‘me-time,’ my favourite movie, a good cry? Sometimes it might be a bowl of popcorn. There’s no right answer, but the key thing is to get present and check-in.

Sleep-related hormone imbalance messes with our overall health and wellness more than we think it does.

Because of its affect on hunger and fullness hormones—and thereby its influence on mood and motivation—sleep is a pre-requisite for a healthy relationship with food and our bodies. Moreover, how prone we are towards health-supporting behaviours and self care has shown to depend heavily on our sleep habits.

APPETITE AND METABOLISM While you’re sleeping your body processes hormones involved in the regulation of appetite (hunger and fullness) and metabolism (energy use).

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body makes more Ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger and the desire to eat more, and less Leptin, a hormone that stimulates satiety (the feeling of fullness) and increases metabolism. The end result? Sleep deprivation leads to increased appetite and decreased metabolism, a.k.a. risk for overeating.

CRAVINGS AND MOTIVATION I don’t know about you, but if I don’t sleep well I end up feeling like a sugar junkie with all sorts of energy dips and mood swings, reminiscent of my 90’s childhood and “penny-cent candy days.” This feeling is completely normal and can be explained by biology (thanks, science!). When you’re tired, your body is searching for quick energy – think caffeine and doughnuts. It wants easy, caloriedense foods like fats and refined carbohydrates (sugar). Your body is pretty smart and knows you’re going to be low on energy without adequate rest, so it amps up your cravings for these foods on purpose.

To add more gas to the flame, the cells of your body are not adequately rested and are less efficient at using the energy you’re providing them, signalling your brain to eat more of these foods for fuel. It’s a vicious cycle!

So, on days when you don’t get enough shut eye, reach for carbohydrate-rich foods at breakfast, but focus on complex carbohydrates like whole grains,

Service Directory

Think of the desire to use food to cope with emotions as a signal that you need to engage in more self-care practices. Adequate sleep is one (very important) element of self-care.

WHAT, NO POP TARTS? // THOSE COZY HOURS IN BED DICTATE OUR FOOD CHOICES WHEN WE’RE UP AND AT ‘EM. // K OILUND

pulses, and fruits/vegetables that have more fibre to stabilize your blood sugars. Oh, and don’t get mad at biology for these sugar cravings. Accept them and take it as a friendly nudge to get more sleep the next day.

SELF-CARE If the descriptors emotional or mindless eating resonate with you, pay special attention to this piece. Food can often act as comfort for our emotions, or as a stress-release at the end of the day. And sometimes that is A-Okay! But when food becomes your only way to cope, it can become problematic because it is a short-term, feel-good thing. Often guilt and shame are associated with the over use of food as a coping mechanism, and these two emotions tend to make us feel worse in the long run.

HOW MUCH SLEEP IS ENOUGH? Generally, adults (18-64 years) should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Older adults (65+ years) can aim for seven to eight hours of Zzzzs.

How do you know exactly what’s right for you?

Make note of how you feel when you wake up. Are you rested?

Stay tuned to these pages: Next up on Feed the Fire are some strategies (including some sleeppromoting foods!) to help you get the sleep you desire, and deserve.

Further reading and special thanks for inspiring this article: -Scritchfield, R. (2016). Body Kindness. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Co., Inc. -Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (1995). Intuitive Eating.

New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

-National Sleep Foundation: https:// sleepfoundation.org/

Kirsten Oilund is a registered dietitian and the owner of Jasper Nutrition Counselling. She is an avid runner, boot-camper and adventurer. She has been known to plan an elaborate campfire spread. Email her at kirsten@jasper-nutrition.com