Healthy U

Issue 2

Upcoming Events

• Forty-three percent of adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
• Two-thirds of all office visits to family physicians are due to stress-related symptoms.
• Sixty-four percent of American say they are taking steps to reduce stress in their lives.
• Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death—heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. Source: “Mind/Body Health: Did You Know?” American Psychological Association, www.apahelpcenter.org.
Hormones released in response to short- and long-term stress impair memory and cognitive processing in children and adults. Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology, April 30, 2005

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Weight gain the freshman year of college is common, but it is not unavoidable.

Many college students who were active in sports during high school drop their participation or decrease their frequency of playing sports when they get to college. Although they may walk more to get to class than they did in the past, this exercise does not compare with the hours of intense sports practice they may have previously had each week.

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An Australian study of 450 drivers found that it is the distraction of using a cell phone, either with or without hands, that is dangerous for drivers. Drivers were four times as likely to be using a cell phone within 10 minutes before they were involved in a car accident compared to accidents when not using a cell phone. Source: British Medical Journal, July 12, 2005
Eliminate all distractions when driving a car especially in heavy traffic or on unfamiliar roads. Pull over to read directions, eat, put on make up, engage in a heated conversation or pick up an item you dropped on the floor.

Here are some tips on how to deal with too much stress and restore a healthy balance in your life:
Share your thoughts or feelings with a friend, family member, or another person you feel comfortable with.
Be creative in dealing with the problems causing you stress.
Simplify your life and eliminate the clutter both in things and time commitments.
Manage your time and plan ahead.
Conserve your energy by using your time and energy efficiently.
Accept what you cannot change and change the things you can.
Make time to laugh and play.
Practice relaxation techniques such as prayer, meditation, yoga, visualization, T’ai Chi, biofeedback, deep breathing, listening to music you enjoy, getting a massage or Reiki treatment, or taking a warm bath.
Exercise regularly.
Be positive.
Develop a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. Source: National Wellness Institute, 2004
There are CD’s DVD’s, tape and brochures on most of these relaxation practices available in the Wellness Resource Center in the Ambrose Health Center lobby. They can be checked out by students, staff and faculty for 2 weeks for no change. Click here for a complete list of materials Resource Center

“Can I Kiss You”
A hilarious program that teaches you how to comfortably ask for what you want sexually or intimately without having rely on guessing or ESP. FREE. Cosponsored by New Student Programs, Residence Life, SEAL. SAPA, and a grant from the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“Wellness Fair Info”
Come and experience hands on learning about physical, social, emotional, occupational, and spiritual wellbeing. Learn about the many wellness services, practices and experiences available on campus and in the community. Have the chance to ask your questions to experts in the field.

Many exhibitors from both off and on campus will offer activities, demonstrations, screenings or assessments, information on upcoming events, coupons and promotional items.
Free food, door prizes, give-aways, massages

“Grief Group”
No one is ever prepared for the death of a friend or someone we love. This weekly drop in group offers support to students who have experienced such a loss. It will provide you with understanding and tools for working through your grief. The group meets in room 2023S (rocker room) of the Ambrose Health Center.

Although calorie burning usually decreases for college freshmen, their calorie intake often increases. Since college students are often up late at night, they may eat the equivalent of one or two additional meals a day. The extra eating seldom comes from balanced food choices. Snack foods, pizza, or submarine sandwiches – higher calorie foods – take the place of low-calorie vegetables and fruits that can fill students up with good nutrition. When students eat on the run throughout the day, they also tend to grab snack foods that provide a lot of calories without long-lasting energy.

And although alcohol may be illegal for most students, it is too often a part of college life. The unhealthy current trend for drinking large amounts can increase calorie consumption drastically.

To control weight and maintain good health and adequate amounts of energy, college freshmen, like everyone else, need to find ways to eat a low fat, mostly plant-based diet, control portions and exercise daily.

One way college students can reduce the chance of weight gain is to look for healthier options when they’re dining in their school’s cafeteria. They can also carry away fruit from the dining hall to snack on later when hunger strikes. Source: “Nutrition Wise” by Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org.