Healthy UNH Blogger: Ann Steeves
Home town: Merrimack, NH
Major: dual major in Health Management and Policy with concentration in Pubic Health, EcoGastronomy
Graduation year: 2014
What I do to make a Healthy UNH: I stay healthy by utilizing the Swasey pool and the beautiful trails in College Woods. I also strive to spread awareness of the food system and its impact on health with the student organization Get Real!, part of the national Real Food Challenge campaign.
Favorite food: Avocados!
Favorite movie: I like a lot of movies...watched the Hunger Games recently, which was great!
Favorite Book: Guns, Germs, and Steel
What place in the world do you want most to visit?: the Amazon rainforest
Favorite Dining Hall: Philbrook! (bias because I work there!!)
What do you love about UNH? I love all the opportunities that are given to students, the beautiful campus, and the awesome professors in my department!
As a healthy UNH intern, most excited about: Spreading awareness of pressing health issues!
“Eat More Kale”—the Superfood behind the slogan
By: Ann Steeves
You’ve probably seen the merch around campus: stickers, t-shirts, buttons and more with the “eat more kale” slogan stamped on the center. You may have even heard of the lawsuit last year when Chick-fil-A insisted the kale slogan was too similar to their “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign (lest people start eating kale instead of chicken!). The hearty green has received a lot of attention over the past few years. It’s one of my favorite foods, and I encourage everyone to make it part of their diet.
Read moreTagged In: Annie Steeves, antioxidants, calcium, cheesy kale, Eat More Kale, fiber, Healthy UNH, iron, kale, Nutrition, protein, recipe, spinach, vitamin C
HMP 5K
By: Ann Steeves
The University of New Hampshire’s Department of Health Management and Policy prepares undergraduates to become leading health professionals in the ever-expanding Health Care Industry. Through this department, students get exposed to many aspects of health care, including data analysis, finance management, epidemiology, ethics, and policy. A reoccurring theme throughout the Department’s courses is health promotion.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, College Woods, Department of Health Management and Policy, Exercise, Fitness, Healthy UNH, HMP 5K, off-road run, run, SOHL, Student Organization for Health Leadership, UNH programs, Wildcat 5K
Providing a Safe Environment for Children at School
By: Ann Steeves
This week is National Public Health Week, an annual celebration of public health sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA). Today’s theme is “Providing a Safe Environment for Children at School”. Children spend 180 days in school every year. The lessons and habits children gain during this time influence the rest of their lives. Our nation’s children develop eating habits through the National School Lunch program, which feeds more than 31 million children each day.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, Healhty UNH, National Kick Butts Day, National Public Health Week, National School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch program, Nutrition, Obesity, petition, safe environment, school, students, tobacco, tobacco-free campus
Talking about Mental Health
By: Ann Steeves
More than one in four adults over 18 years of age in the U.S. suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml). Individuals struggling with mental illnesses often feel stigmatized or too embarrassed to share their personal struggles with friends or family members.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, Healthy UNH, Mental Health
Nutritious and Delicious—Alternatives to Easter Candy
By: Ann Steeves
Easter is right around the corner, which means it is time for Easter Basket creation. Children love receiving Easter Baskets, and many families celebrate it as a tradition for Easter morning. Easter treats can still be enjoyed, but try to look beyond the stocked shelves of Peeps and Chocolate Bunnies this year and consider healthy alternatives to usual Easter candy. One Cadbury Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny, a popular Easter treat, contains 890 calories, and 48.6 grams of fat!
Read moreTagged In: Alternative candy, Ann Steeves, chocolate, Easter, Healthy UNH, Nutrition, sugar
Hiking for Health
By: Ann Steeves
Physical activity does not necessarily require going to the gym. Why spend time exercising indoors when you have the glorious wilderness to explore?! Hiking is a great workout—for the body and the mind. Even a couple miles is a great cardiovascular workout, especially if you’re carrying extra weight like a backpack with water or snacks. The serenity of nature allows your mind to be at ease as you trek the trail. The combination of aerobic activity and meditation provides a unique experience, unparalleled by other forms of physical activity.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, cardiovascular, challenge, Fitness, fresh air, Grand Canyon, Healthy UNH, Hiking, Outdoors, Spring Break, UNH Outdoor Adventures
Zumba- the most fun you can have at the gym!
By: Ann Steeves
Like to dance? Looking to get in shape or change up your cardio workout? Ever heard of Zumba? Zumba is an energetic dance class where participants are able to let loose and have fun! I took a Zumba class a few days ago after a two-year hiatus of zumba-ing and I honestly forgot how much fun it was! The dance moves are relatively simple but fast paced to get your heartbeat going. Most of the music is top-40’s hits that you can sing along to if you want to make the most of the experience. It’s a one-hour class of dancing to the beat in a room of 30+ people doing the same thing.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, dance, Fitness, Hamel rec center, Healthy UNH, whittemore, Zumba, zumba classes
Get Real! UNH and the growing student food movement
By: Ann Steeves
Young people have always clarified the morality of our times. This sentiment was echoed throughout this past weekend as the student organization, Get Real! UNH, had the opportunity to attend the Second Annual Real Food Challenge “Breaking Ground” National Summit. The Real Food Challenge is a growing student movement working toward changing institutional purchasing power to create a more just and sustainable food system.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, Dining, Health, Healthy UNH, Nutrition, Slow Food, Sustainability Academy
Health Costs and Healthcare in the US and Italy
By: Ann Steeves
The cost of healthcare is a huge issue on the national stage as the United States tries to come to terms with its overwhelming state of national debt. Concern is growing especially among young people who will be given the task of dealing with the mounting debt. The nation’s debt comes from many sources, but healthcare is a big contributor. Healthcare costs exceed nearly 20% of U.S. GDP; a staggering estimated $2 trillion annually.
Read moreTagged In: Annie Steeves, health costs, Healthcare, Healthy UNH, Italy, US
Fight Stress with Physical Activity!
By: Ann Steeves
It’s the final stretch—seasonal jobs and internships are lined up, summer courses are registered for, perhaps a road trip is planned… Summer is right around the corner, and there’s just one maybe-not-so-little thing standing in your way: final papers, exams, and projects to complete. You’ve worked so hard all semester and this is it! It is apparent that everyone on campus is in the same boat, as the library is packed with so many students, it can be hard to find a seat.
Read moreTagged In: Fitness, Health, Healthy UNH, UNH
