Keep It Beating

This years theme for Heart Health Week is "Keep It Beating." Here are a few strategies to help keep your heart healthy.

First, don't smoke or use tobacco. "Smoking or using tobacco is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease" (Mayo Clinic Staff). Any amount of smoking is considered unhealthy and many of the chemicals in cigarettes cause damage to the heart and blood vessels which leads to chances of a possible heart attack. 

Second, exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week. "Getting some regular, daily exercise can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease" (Mayo Clinic Staff). If you have not worked out in a while don't stress, you can start today. Some activities that you can do for exercise include walking in the park, weight lifting, biking, hiking, snow shoeing, taking the stairs rather than the elevator at work, or playing sports with friends. Make exercise a priority in your life. Exercising is also a great way to reduce stress which is another cause of heart disease.

Third, eat a heart-healthy diet. Be sure to add plenty of fruits and vegetables to your meals.  Most of the time people aren't getting the fruits and vegetables that they need in their meals.  Fruits and vegetables are a great way to keep your heart healthy and they can prevent some forms of cancer. Another great suggestion is to go to our Health and Wellness Services page and look at some of our recipes so that you can have a more balanced diet.  Go to www.slcc.edu/hw and click on the "Healthy Choices Cookbook" link under Downloads.  This is a great way to balance out your diet and get the essential food groups needed to be healthy and active.

Keep It Safer and Smarter

     KISS is the theme for this year's Sexual Responsibility event. KISS stands for Keep It Safer and Smarter. The purpose of the event is to teach the importance of the 3 C's, which are communication, consent, and condoms. Knowing these things helps people obtain personal and community responsibility.

     At the event, we will have a few games going. We have a condom card line-up, which participants will try to arrange the steps to putting on a condom in order from step 1-12 in the fastest time. They will then receive an envelope which they must get signed by as many people as they can. This game will make them aware of many different STD's. We will have a myth/fact game as well. This game will decide whether the statements they hear are true or not. There will be two more games that focus on the importance of consent and communication.

     KISS will be held Thursday, February 21, 2013, from 11-1. It will take place in the Student Event Center (across from the Lair in the Student Center). Refreshments will be served. We hope to see everyone there!

The DL on TB

Hello!

This fine (and cold!) morning, we wanted to take a moment to share some valuable information with you.

Have you ever heard of Tuberculosis? It is most often referred to as TB, and is a disease that affects the lungs. But instead of blasting you with information right here, we will refer you to a trusty TB brochure made possible by the CDC.

You can find this brochure by clicking HERE or clicking "TB Information" in our Downloads section on the column to the right.

And... This might be an appropriate place for a shameless plug for some SLCC Health & Wellness Services. You can stop by any of our three offices and get a TB test for only $15! No insurance needed!

You can thank us later. ;)

Women Empowering Women

Women today are faced with a wide range of issues. The role of the woman itself is rapidly changing in our society. This group is intended to help women process with one another the experiences they have. Topics will be chosen by group members and may include, but are not limited to such things as: relationships, connecting with others, intimacy, self esteem, stress management, trust, gaining a sense of control, relaxation, and support. While this group is slated to run for 6 weeks, it may be ongoing should group members choose to continue.

By Stephanie Sinju

Mindful Awareness

What is Mindfulness?

While many people think mindfulness means meditation, this is not the case. Mindfulness is a mental state of openness, awareness and focus, and meditation is just one way amongst hundreds of learning to cultivate this state.

Although mindfulness has only recently been embraced by Western psychology, it is an ancient practice found in a wide range of Eastern philosophies, including Buddhism, Taoism and Yoga. Mindfulness involves consciously bringing awareness to your here-and-now experience with openness, curiosity and flexibility. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a world authority on the use of mindfulness training in the management of clinical problems, defines it as: "Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally."

Most people get distracted, “zone out,” or spend most of their daily lives being unmindful or running on autopilot. As a result, they then get lost, anxious, and frustrated when a situation doesn’t happen as they expect it to. Here are some examples:

·         While driving or traveling, you don’t remember the experience or which roads you took.

·         While having a conversation, you’re already thinking about what you’re going to say next before the other person has even stopped speaking.

·         While taking a shower, you’re already planning what you have to do later and then forget that you’ve already washed your hair.

·         While reading, you suddenly realize that you’ve been thinking about something else and have no idea what you’ve just read.

These experiences are common for most of us and are fairly harmless. But for people with overwhelming emotions, being unmindful can often have a negative impact on their lives.

Why are Mindfulness skills important?

·         Mindfulness skills help you focus on one thing at a time in the present moment, and by doing this you can better control and soothe your overwhelming emotions.

·         Being mindful can help you learn to become more connected to yourself, to others, and to the world around you.

·         Mindfulness helps increase self-awareness

·         Mindfulness will help you become less judgmental

·         Mindfulness will help you become less disturbed by and less reactive to unpleasant experiences.

·         Being mindful reminds us that everything changes; that thoughts and feelings come and go like the weather.

Through group discussion and the practice of a variety of mindfulness exercises, the Mindful Awareness Group will help you tune in to yourself, improve concentration, calm your mind, and learn to live in the present moment.

Some material borrowed from:

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Dr. Marsha Linehan, and http://www.actmindfully.com.au/mindfulness

Tension Headaches

Did you know according to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) tension headaches, also known as contraction headaches, are the most common type of headache?

Tension headaches indicate stress, emotional or mental conflict. In these events, there are physical and habitual triggers. Physical triggers include but are not limited to jaw clenching, tight muscles in neck, scalp, and face. Habitual triggers may include - missed meals, anxiety, depression, not enough sleep, and intense work. According to AMTA, it is by far the most common headache experienced, nearly 90%-92% of headaches are tension headaches. Tension headache pain is usually mild to moderate, but it can lead to migraines. It feels as if a constant pressure is being applied to the front of the face, head, or neck. Some even reported that it feels as if a belt is constricting around their entire head.

With a new semester well under way, who has time for that? Research in respect to tension headaches states that massage can: decrease pain, reduce depression/anxiety, decrease anger and tension, reduce the rate, intensity and duration of headaches, and increase range of motion with the neck. Schedule a massage with Health and Wellness! Remember, you get one free massage per semester. To schedule another appointment during the semester is only $30!! But call ASAP, we book fast!!!

Health and Wellness Services also provides a medical clinic, counseling and health promotion services.

Author: Amy Kelly