The Birth of Wellness Voice
The Office of Health Education & Promotion, UNH Health Services is excited about the 1st edition of Wellness Voice . This newsletter was created and written by our staff as a way to educate UNH on important health and wellness issues as they relate to our community. Health Services is committed to assisting the UNH Community in maintaining and improving their health and well-being now and into the future. Wellness Voice is an extension of this commitment.
Wellness Voice will be published on the 15th of each month. You may obtain a copy of the newsletter by visiting our Website at www.unh.edu/health-services or picking up a copy at Health Services. We welcome any feedback you may have.
This newsletter was designed and edited by Dawn Zitney & Kathleen Grace-Bishop They may be reached at healthservices@unh.edu
September 2005
Download the full newsletter as a pdf
- Transition and Change (Cover Story)
Transition, change & eventual adaptation requires we be intentional about taking care of ourselves by making healthy life choices - Lung Cancer in the News
In the wake of recent celebrity lung cancer deaths and diagnosis, such as Peter Jennings and Dana Reeves, it is important to note that most lung cancers are usually related to smoking. - Navigating the Dining Halls
All the options available in the dining halls can be over-whelming. Follow these steps to navigate your way through all the options.
Transition and Change
By Peter Welch, Wellness Educator/Counselor
If your life were a book, your college years would make for some exciting chapters. It’s here where you’ll have many opportunities to learn about yourself, others, and the world around you. One thing is certain, learning how to adapt to change will be one of the most important lessons you’ll have during this time. There will be many opportunities at UNH to develop this essential life skill. You are likely in the middle of one or more of those lessons (leaving home, living with new people, figuring out your class schedule, making new friends) right now. How are you doing with it?
Learning how to adapt and respond to change causes some stress for most of us. It sometimes helps if we look back at our lives and remember how we responded to personal challenges. What did you learn about yourself during that time? What coping strategies did you use (or not)? Were they healthy for you and others around you? If not, this may be an opportunity to develop new ways of responding to the stress that can come with change.
For most of us, transition, change and eventual adaptation requires we be intentional about taking care of ourselves by making healthy life choices:
- Get enough sleep (most people under the age of 25 need 9-10 hours of sleep each night)
- Eat balanced meals and responding to physical cues (eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full)
- Exercise – including walking and other aerobic activities, and strength training
- Keep a positive attitude
- Remember to laugh
- Make friends whom you can trust and who trust you
- Listen to and respond to feelings (especially true for men)
- Learn how to mange stress
- Take time to be alone
Your emotional and physical readiness for the next change in your life will be greatly enhanced when you learn to listen and respond to your heeds for nourishment, rest, movement, and support.
Here’s to change, and to life.
Lung Cancer in the News
By Laura Bilodeau, Wellness Educator/Counselor
In the wake of recent celebrity lung cancer deaths and diagnosis, such as Peter Jennings and Dana Reeves, it is important to note that most lung cancers are usually related to smoking. Experts estimate that approximately 90% of lung cancers are caused by tobacco smoke – either through smoking tobacco products or inhaling second-hand smoke. Tobacco smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals, including dozens of carcinogens, harmful substances that damage the cells in the lungs and often lead to the development of cancer cells. To reduce the risk of developing lung cancer, individuals should not smoke and should avoid exposure to second-hand smoke. Individuals should also avoid inhaling chemical fumes as found in paint and gasoline.
FACTS
- Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in men and women
- This year approximately 172,570 people will learn that they have lung cancer
- Of those diagnosed, it is estimated that 163,510 will die of the disease
- 50,000 people a year die from second-hand smoke
One of the best ways to reduce risk of lung cancer is to never start smoking or quit if you do smoke- the sooner the better! Avoid being around people who are smoking or places where smoking is allowed. Try to avoid inhalation of any smoke, chemicals or chemical products.
For more information on Lung Cancer or assistance quitting smoking, call 862.3823.
Source: American Cancer Society and The American Legacy Foundation
NAVIGATING THE DINING HALLS
By Suzanne Sonneborn, Nutrition Educator and Maria Larkin, Nutrition Counselor
GET THE LAY OF THE LAND…
Before you put anything on your plate, walk through the dining hall and survey all the choices. For first-year students, the myriad of options available can be over-whelming. You can also check out http://www.unh.edu/dining/menus/menus.html to see seven days of the cycle menu at each dining hall. Don’t feel you need to sample many foods at one time since an item will appear again on the cycle.
TAKE TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF…
Plan time in your schedule for meals. Get yourself to the dining hall to nourish your body and brain. Take only the amount of food you would have eaten if you were at home.
IF YOU CAN’T FIND SOMETHING, ASK...
If you can’t find something that appeals to you, ask a dining hall attendant for available alternatives. Chances are that you could get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or other basic items. If you are following a special diet or have dietary restrictions, arrange to speak to the dining hall dietitian, Rochelle L’Italien, to discuss options.
FOR GOOD MEASURE…
Include at least one serving of fruit and/or vegetable, a protein source (eggs, meat, milk, fish) and a starch (bread, pasta) or two every time you eat.
Navigating Your Kitchen…
Not every student eats his or her meals in the dining halls. If you are trying to figure out how to plan a meal, shop and prepare food for yourself, the Good Eats Cookbook can help. To obtain other excellent nutrition resources for college students, visit the Office of Health Education and Promotion in Room 249 of Health Services.
