Need some summer self care? We've got you covered.

Between balancing school, work, family, and friends being a college student is not easy. That’s why the Center for Health & Counseling's mission is to make sure your time at SLCC is a happy and healthy one.

Your Health Matters
Healthy students equal successful graduates. Studies show that there is a direct link between health and student academic success. That’s why we offer a variety of services, including massage, counseling, medical, and health promotion.

Convenient and Affordable
With locations on three main campuses and all of our services under $30, there is nothing stopping you from taking care of what is most important, you.

We’re Here For You
This summer, self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity to your academic success. Take a look at our services above and give us a call to get started on your best semester yet!

The Center for Health & Counseling is located at Taylorsville Redwood, South City, and Jordan campus. For our hours, information about our services, or to book an appointment please call 801-957-4268 or visit slcc.edu/chc  

STRESSED OUT?

HEALTH 101: TIPS FOR A HEALTHY BODY AND MIND

 Welcome Back Bruins!

Whether you are coming back for your last semester or attending your first class, the Center for Health and Counseling is excited to welcome you for Fall semester 2017! 

As you prepare yourself for classes we wanted to share some healthy living tips to ensure that you have a healthy and successful semester. 

Keep your body healthy!

When surrounded by thousands of other students on campus and sharing classroom space, spreading colds and viruses is easy if you're not careful. These tips can help keep you from getting sick.

● Wash your hands. Studies have shown that simple hand washing can help prevent a large number of illnesses. So wash your hands, especially any time you'll be touching your nose, mouth or eyes or if you've been around others who are sick.

● Don't go to class. If you're sick, don't force yourself to go to class. It will only make you feel worse and infect other students. Email your professors that you're ill and stay home and rest, trust me, they will appreciate it. 

● Get to the doctor. If you have symptoms that aren't showing any signs of clearing up within a few days, you may need to take a trip to the Center for Health and Counseling. A simple cold can turn into something much worse if left alone, so seek help if you aren’t feeling any better. And don’t worry about it breaking the bank, a visit to the CHC medical clinic is only $10!

● Drink lots of fluids. Colds and flu can wreck havoc on your body, often depriving it of much needed fluids. Replenish these by drinking plenty of water you’re feeling under the weather. 

● Get a flu shot. With so many germs around, sometimes getting a flu shot is the best thing you can do to avoid getting sick. The CHC offers the flu shot every year at a reduced price!


Keep your mind healthy!

Students can get run down with so much going on. These tips can help you beat the stress.

● Create a routine. If you get yourself in the habit of studying, working out, and sleeping at certain hours, it will be easier to fit in all the things you need to do in a day without feeling too stressed out.

● Give yourself a break. If you've been working steadily for hours, give your eyes and mind a chance for a rest by taking a break. You can come back feeling more refreshed and ready to go.

● Understand you can't do everything. While you might want to go to class, work, play a sport, and participate in clubs and social activities, the reality is that sooner or later you're going to get run down by trying to do so much. Focus on doing the things you truly love and forget about the rest.

● Get help. If you're feeling overwhelmed, feel free to reach out and ask for help. At $10 a session our licensed clinical social workers and psychologist here at the CHC are available to talk at any time. 

● Take advantage of campus resources and programs. The Center for Health and Counseling offers a wide variety of services that can help you destress, including massages for only $10!

We hope you will use these tips and take advantage of the resources and services the Center for Health and Counseling offers. We are always here to make sure that you are able to be your most successful self!

Good luck on your new semester and welcome back!

Recipes to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

   Are you getting ready to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (May 5^th)? As with any holiday, you probably have a party planned with big meals planned and alcohol.

   Here are some “fun” alternatives beverages without the alcohol and fewer* carbohydrates.

Mock Margarita’s  

Serving Size: 4 ounces

1 6-ounce can frozen limeade concentration

¾ cup orange juice

2/3 cup unsweetened grapefruit juice

25-30 small ice cubes

Directions

1.   If desired, rub rims of margarita glasses with lime wedge; dip rims into a shallow dish of coarse salt or sugar and shake off excess. Set aside.

2.  In a blender, combine limeade concentrate, orange juice, and grapefruit juice. Cover and blend until smooth. With the blender running, gradually add ice cubes through the hole in the lid, blending until slushy. If desired, tint with a few drops of green food coloring. Pour into margarita glasses. If desired, garnish with citrus slices. Makes 8 (4-ounce) servings

[Source: Diabetic Living]

Sangria Style Cooler

Serving Size: 8 ounces

4 cups orange juice

1 ½ cups white or purple unsweetened grape juice

1 1-liter bottle ginger ale

2 cups cut-up  fruit (such as oranges, lemons, limes, pineapple, seedless grapes, peaches, and/or strawberries)

2 cups ice

Directions

1.      In a large bowl or pitcher stir together the orange juice and grape juice. Slowly pour in ginger ale; stir gently. Add the fruit and ice cubes.

2.      Ladle the juice mixture with the fruit into tall glasses. Garnish with mint sprigs. Makes 10 (about 8-ounce) servings.

[Source: Diabetic Living]

   

What dishes do you have planned for your meal?

Enjoy your favorite dishes, but the healthier alternative to cut down on carbohydrates. How about you try  Pepper-PorkTamales or flan**! Remember to be mindful of your portions and have FUN!

* Follow the links for the full recipes to go over the amount of carbohydrates per serving and other nutritional information. 

** This flan recipe has 29 g carbohydrates per serving while most recipes use up to 52 g carbohydrates per serving.

By: Esteban Moreno

How to Conquer Stress

Being bogged down by thoughts and emotions takes a toll on your mental health. It seems easier to pretend it isn’t there or to tell people that you’re okay when you’re really not. But in doing this, your mind is left to wander and chances are you will end up making yourself feel worse and often more stressed than before!

One of the many outlets for stress is to let your artistic side flow. You don’t have to be someone with previous experience with an art form, because the point is to do what makes you personally feel better, not create the next portrait to hang in the Louvre.

Find something that sticks out to you, ignore your inner critic, and go for it.

It can be anything from working with your hands (cooking, drawing, sewing) to music (playing a new instrument or even just relaxing and listening) to taking a drive out of the city and taking pictures of your new surroundings.

Whatever it is, be present within yourself, take a breath, and allow yourself to become absorbed into a new hobby.

By: Alex Edmunds

Meditation and Relaxation

With finals week approaching and the stress inevitably coming, try some meditation exercises to relax, think clearer, and reduce anxiety.

This can take as little as 5 minutes or up to 30 minutes if you choose, whatever you feel you need to become relaxed.  

Ways to Prepare:

Find a quiet, calm, and relaxing place. Preferably find a place where electronics are either not there or if they are they are not distracting. Meditation is something you can do anywhere such as school, work, or home.

What can Meditation do for you?

Meditation can reduce stress, fears, and anxiety. Meditation can also deepen sleep, stimulate clearer thinking, and enhance our creativity.

What are the types of Meditation?

There are over 30 different types of meditation that you can do. Some of the most common, easy, and stimulating meditations are; deep breathing, guided relaxation, mindfulness meditation, and yoga. Meditation is able to take us out of the world and our stress for a few minutes and let us just breathe, relax, and be calm.

Where can you find these exercises?

The easiest and cheapest way to find guided relaxation and mindfulness meditation is to search on Youtube for them. Deep breathing can also be googled or you can do the 4 second inhale, 4 second hold, and 4 second exhale. Yoga is either done by also a Youtube video or you can sign up for a class at school or a gym.

By: Lexi Koplin

School and Social Stressors!

Are you finding yourself stressing out about that presentation that you should do for your final? Do you have anxiety about group projects? Is it even worth it to make friends, and should you make time for them? Is being social too much work?

If you have been the one asking these questions, I might have some answers that will hopefully aid you to the point of relaxation, as well as being able to understand the importance of having a social life.

Q: Why do teachers make me do presentations? How can I present in an interesting manner?

A: One reason being is because once you start teaching the material yourself, you come to understand the material better. Another may be because since you are a college student and you think like a college student, teaching to your peers because the though process is the same, perhaps you may be able to answer questions that others may have but are too afraid to ask.

A couple tips to presenting…..

1. Don’t read word for word what you have on a PowerPoint slide. Everyone can read for themselves. Put a couple of key points on each slide, or perhaps a picture related to the topic instead.

2. Use a bigger font. Small words/small font=people will fall asleep. If it too hard to read at first glance, nobody will try hard to read it. Use big font and not too bright or dark of letters.

3. Use more animation in your voice because we have all been in lectures where the professor had the same voice the whole time.. It is hard to pay attention. Move around the room & face the crowd. Movement cause the students to follow where you go, which in turn creates some sort of focus.

Try it!

Being social can relieve stress!

After having your designated study time, take a moment to talk to a family member, go out to dinner, call someone on the phone or facetime. Taking a moment to talk to someone, allows your brain to take a break and engage in something else that it less taxing.

The key is to talk to people who are not stressful people or that cause you anxiety. The saying “surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel, because energies are contagious,” could not be more important. A challenge to you would be, figure out who those people are to you.

By: Brittany Parry