Chapter 1:
Men vs. Women- What are we good at?
Did you know that men score higher on tests than women for visual-spatial ability, or the ability to imagine the shapes and objects rotating in space? Did you know women score higher than men in tests for fine motor skills, memory, speech production, and verbal fluency!
What is Healthy?- It's not just diet and exercise!
My experience has been that people compartmentalize various aspects of their life- their social life, their career, their physical health, spirituality, etc. I've always had a personal mission to be physically healthy. Being physically healthy is just one aspect of my overall wellness though. Wellness has six dimensions: physical, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, spiritual, and environmental.
Want to learn more about the dimensions of YOUR life and how YOU can improve your wellness and life experience? Check this out.
Chapter 2:
Altruism- Giving to Receive!
Altruism- the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others
Giving back to your family, friends, and community doesn't only raise your self-esteem. It improves your health! Leading an altruistic lifestyle can lead to better immune system functioning, better cardiovascular health, and aid in relaxation and pain relief. It increases overall mental health, self-esteem, and emotional wellness. So what are you waiting for? Get involved! Here are some ideas for volunteer work:
Giving back to your family, friends, and community doesn't only raise your self-esteem. It improves your health! Leading an altruistic lifestyle can lead to better immune system functioning, better cardiovascular health, and aid in relaxation and pain relief. It increases overall mental health, self-esteem, and emotional wellness. So what are you waiting for? Get involved! Here are some ideas for volunteer work:
- Retirement Homes
- Animal Shelters
- Soup Kitchens
- Local churches
- Homeless Shelters
- Battered Women Shelters
Stress & Headaches
Did you know that more than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches? Did you know that headaches are a common symptom of stress?
Headaches can be broken down into three major categories:
- Tension Headaches: Most headaches one experience fall under this category. The leading cause of tension headaches are stress, poor posture, and immobility.
- Migraines: Migraines can anywhere from minutes to days, and cause a variety of symptoms. Migraine sufferers may have nerve cells that are abnormally excitable, according to reseach. Identifying what triggers your migraines is the first step in releiving them.
- Cluster Headaches: Cluster headaches are intense pain in and around the eye. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, and the is no known cure. However, there are treatments available.
Chapter 3:
Medication & Ethnicity
Did you know your ethnicity affects how your body metabolizes drugs? For example, psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, anti-psychotic medication, etc.) are metabolized in the body by a specific enzyme. Genetic mutations can affect this enzyme and reduce its activity. These mutations are among around 20% of Asian people, 5% of Latino people, and 3% of white people.
So what does this mean? Asian people tend to have more adverse reactions to standardized doses of psychotropic drugs than other ethnicities.
Suicide
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 15-24 and the 11th for all age groups.
Do you know someone who is suicidal? Are you suicidal? Get help before you take any action. Every life is precious. I may not know you, but I can guarantee you that your life is worth saving.
Here are some resources for you and your loved ones:
- http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
- http://www.afsp.org/
- https://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=7049F2F1-C9C4-C392-588484F7906539D6&r=1
Chapter 7:
Caffeine- Ancient Drug
We all are familiar with caffeine. Its found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, etc. Many of us use caffeine on a daily basis. One thing I didn't know is that caffeine is one of the most ancient psychoactive drugs as well as the most popular.
AIDS & Drug Use
In 2008, intravenous drug use accounted for 10% of new HIV cases. In 2009, 48% of new hepatitis C infections were among intravenous drug users.
Chapter 8:
College Kids & Alcohol
- In a 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 41% of college students reported binge drinking once in the last month and 16% reported to be heavy drinkers
- Every year, 1700 college students die from alcohol overdoses and alcohol-related injuries. 600,000 have unintentional alcohol-related injuries. 700,000 are assaulted by other students who are intoxicated. 100,000 are victims of rape and sexual assault that are alcohol related.
Clearly, college students and alcohol can be dangerous. Ultimately, everyone makes choices for themselves. If you are in college, please drink responsibly!
Nicotine, Cocaine, and Heroin- What do they have in common?
Neurological studies have indicated that nicotine acts on the brain in ways extremely similar to cocaine and heroin.
Are you a tobacco user and considering quitting? Here are 97 reasons why you should. Need help quitting? You might find this website helpful.
Chapter 9:
Antioxidants
I've always known that antioxidants are good for you. I never really knew why. Apparently, antioxidants combat yucky chemicals in our body called free radicals. Some antioxidants remove free radicals, others prevent their production, and some repair the damage done by free radicals.
- Free Radicals can be related in aging, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious situations. Free radicals come from many things- Our body produces them when it is breaking down fat and using oxygen. Cigarette smoke, radiation, and other harmful environmental factors increase free radical production.
Sugar, sugar, sugar!
- Adding sugar to foods increased 19% from 1970 to 2005. That's about 76 extra calories per day consumed in an average American's diet.
Chapter 10:
Exercise Injuries & the "RICE" Formula
RICE= Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
The RICE treatment works for bruises, joint sprains, muscle strains, and tendinitis!
Stay Hydrated While Exercising the Green Way
- Approximately 30 billion plastic water bottles are produced each year
- The process used to manufacture water bottles uses 17 million barrels of oil each year. That's enough for a MILLION CARS for a year. And that figure is not including transportation of the product to stores, etc.
- The process also releases 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
- The process of making a water bottle requires 3x more water than the bottle will actually hold
So please- get a reusable water bottle!!
I've found some pretty cool ones.
Soda & Scary Statistics
Research has shown that people who consumed more than one soft drink a day were associated with the following:
- 44% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome
- 31% more likely to be obese
- 25% more likely to have higher-than-average blood pressure
- 18% more likely to have high blood pressure
Maybe the next time you go to a restaurant, you should order water instead of your favorite carbonated beverage!
Eating Disorders
Eating disorders affect an estimated 10 million females and 1 million males. However, only about 30% of people with anorexia receive treatment, and only 6% of bulimia receive treatment. Eating disorders have very serious health implications. Depending on the severity of the case, an individual could even die.
Are you or someone you know struggling with an eating disorder? Seek help
Chapter 16:
Car Crashes & Accidents
Did you know that around 75% of motor vehicle collisions occur within 25 miles of home and in speed zones lower than 40 miles per hour? That means you're particularly in danger of getting into an accident getting groceries, picking your kids up from school, etc. Most of us know all of the following strategies to prevent accidents, but it never hurts to be reminded:
- Drive the speed limit
- ALWAYS wear your seat belt!
- Do NOT drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Do not get in the car with a driver who is under the influence
- Keep your car in good working order. I like to have a "check up" for my car about every 6 months or so. It may seem more expensive, but if fix things before they get severe, your overall expenses paid are low.
- Allow sufficient following distance. The 3-second rule is very helpful for this.
- Adjust your speed and following distance accordingly for the weather
- USE YOUR SIGNAL
- Completely stop at stop signs
- Look both ways at an intersection
Violent Crimes & College Students- What is the common denominator?
On college campuses, alcohol and other drugs are involved in almost 95% of all violent crimes committed.
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