April 2015 Health Bulletins

	Ask the Doc Dr. Davis Smith is director of health services at Westminster School, Simsbury, Connecticut

Lots of people in my family have had heart attacks or been diagnosed with heart disease. What can I do starting now to prevent this from happening to me?
—Rachel H., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Rachel,
Reducing cardiac risk is a complex issue, especially when there is a strong family history. The first and most important step is consulting your primary care clinician. If they can access meaningful information about your family history, it will help them connect the dots (if dots are there to be connected). They can have you tested and guide you appropriately. 

Some families have inheritable high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or diabetes. These can be tested for and managed or treated.

In other families, there are factors that may not necessarily be inherited, but are linked through cultural or behavioral issues; e.g., activity level, diet, alcohol use, or smoking.

In addition, some families have a shared tendency to less common conditions for which you may be able to be screened. 

We can reduce our risk of heart attack by 90 percent
Here’s the good news: For most people, over 90 percent of the risk of a first heart attack is attributable to factors we can control—like smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, psychosocial factors, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity (according to UpToDate, the medical reference site). Through healthy choices, most of us can decrease our risk of heart attack by 90 percent. 

So what can you do? 

• Don’t smoke. 
• Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week. 
• Maintain a normal blood pressure (get it measured by a nurse or other health professional; the machines in pharmacies are unreliable), blood sugar, and cholesterol level. 
• Keep to a healthy weight. 
• Eat a healthy diet.

Check your risk
Calculate your 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease (in young adults, this will likely be most informative with regard to the relative contribution of various risk factors).

• Women
  
• Men

7 ways to prevent your heart breaking:

• (From the American Heart Association)
• Don’t smoke
• Be physically active
• Have a normal blood pressure
• Have a normal blood glucose level
• Have a normal total cholesterol level
• Maintain a typical weight
• Eat a healthy diet

	Ask the Trainer Frankie Romeo is a certified personal trainer, small group training coach, and graduate student at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee

How can I stay motivated and keep going to the gym even during exams or busy weeks?
—Joseph W., Clemson University, South Carolina

Going to the gym can be tough when you’re not so motivated, especially during busy weeks with exams to study for and assignments to complete. I know—I’ve been there. Let me share three tried and true strategies that will help you stay dedicated to your fitness goals at times like this.

1. Complete a task early
Start your day with a small crossword puzzle, devotional, or even a simple chore. Completing a task in the morning, whatever it may be, can get you in an accomplishment mindset and motivate you for the rest of the day. 

2. Have a plan
The more uncertainties you’re dealing with, the more you’re likely to skip a workout. Make a concrete schedule. Know exactly when you’re going to the gym, what you’ll be doing there, and how long you’ll be there. Block off those times on your calendar. This will allow you to focus on each exercise rather than how much time you’ll have left for studying.

3. Minimize social media
It might seem daunting, but hear me out. Use Facebook only to check notifications. Use Instagram only to post photos. Use Twitter only to tweet. So, what can’t you do? You can’t check the newsfeeds. Scrolling through endless status updates and photos is what keeps us glued to our phones for hours a day. Take this away and suddenly you have extra time on your hands.

Don’t let the rigor of college keep you from accomplishing your fitness goals. Implementing strategies like these is simple. All it takes is a start!

	Ask the Nutritionist Karen Moses, director of wellness and health promotion at Arizona State University in Phoenix.

How can I incorporate more fresh vegetables and fruits into my diet without spending a lot of money?
—Koby M., Carroll College, Montana

There are many ways to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables without breaking the bank. It’s well worth it, both for your current well-being and your long-term health. The cost of several servings a day cost be offset by reducing other not-so-healthy or not-so-essential choices.

Eat food, don’t toss it
To avoid excess cost, make sure you use the food you purchase. Don’t let it turn to mush.

• Choose produce that has a longer shelf life.  Apples, carrots, and broccoli will keep longer than pears, lettuce, and spinach. 
• Buy only what you will eat in a few days to a week. Many items won’t keep longer than a week. 
• Eat it raw when first purchased. Later in the week, when they lose their crispness, stir-fry or steam vegetables.
• Freeze fruit into bite-sized pieces to use in smoothies.

Shop for the best prices
Select items that are in season. They typically sell at a lower price.

• Some stores sell “old” produce at a discount. Sometimes the discounted produce is just a day or two older than the display produce, and can still make a good salad or stir-fry. Check your local market.
• Shop sales and give your business to the grocer that offers the best prices.
• Avoid specialty or convenience stores, which often sell produce more expensively than grocery stores.

Prepare food yourself
A homemade salad or vegetable soup is more cost-effective than a prepared item from a deli or restaurant. Consider whether you have the time and resources to make your own.  It will save you some money while allowing you to eat more greens.

Balance your budget
Getting the healthful benefits from fruits and vegetables is worth a few trade-offs.

• Do you regularly purchase drinks from your local coffee shop? Specialty espresso drinks can cost $3.00–5.00. Do you buy a drink with your meal when eating out? A large drink can run you $2.00–3.00. Think about exchanging the cost of a drink for the cost of the fruits and vegetables you plan to purchase.  
• Do you ever stop at a vending machine or convenience store to purchase a snack? Think about leaving off the candy bars and chips in exchange for an apple, banana, or bag of carrots. This could save you money.

Consider the cost of organic 
Organic produce is more costly than conventionally grown produce. If organic is important to you, but you can’t afford it, be selective.  Whenever possible, choose organic for the products that contain the most pesticide residue (as determined by the Environmental Working Group):

• Apples
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Imported nectarines
• Imported grapes
• Sweet bell peppers
• Potatoes
• Domestic blueberries
• Lettuce
• Kale/collard greens

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce by the Environmental Working Group

	Ask the relationship educator Dr. Rick Hanson is a licensed psychologist and the director of the counseling center at Rockhurst University in Missouri.

How can I break up with someone amicably?
—Janie F.,* Florida International University

No reasonable person enjoys breaking up. It is often uncomfortable, awkward, and painful.  Navigating breakups in a way that is respectful and honors the other person is not easy. There are several things you should consider:

Avoid electronic breakups
Ending a relationship can be hard, but avoid taking the easy way out. If the goal is to end the relationship on good terms, then skip the text message and certainly don’t announce it over social media. Honor yourself and the other person by having that difficult conversation in person.

Avoid blaming the other person
Many people behave badly during a breakup. Now is not the time to air your frustrations or point out what would have kept you in the relationship. The other person might become defensive and plead for more time since they now know what you want.

Own your decision and actions
Sure the other person contributed to the situation, but you are the one who decided to end it. You are not asking if it is OK to break up, or if the other person agrees with your ideas. Be clear about why the relationship isn’t working for you (without blame).

Avoid insulting or demeaning the other person
If the breakup is happening immediately after something painful, like a fight or discovering that your partner hooked up with someone, it is easy to want to lash out. In anger, we want to even the score and hurt the other person. This is understandable, but it is unlikely to lead to a friendly parting of ways.

Be calm and respectful
Take some time to think through what you want to say and how you think the other person might respond. Choose a setting where you can talk openly, but also easily leave when you are done. Going out to dinner to break up can lead to an awkward ride home.

Avoid patronizing or trying to help them adjust
Pointing out the other person’s good qualities and positive future is rarely comforting at times like this. Let other friends, or professionals, step in and help them transition. 

Make a clean break
At some point in the future you may be friends again, but in the short term, step back and avoid ongoing personal or electronic communication. Consider reviving the friendship only when neither of you is trying to light the old flame.

Know your networking needs

By Brandy Reeves

The richest people in the world look for networks, and everyone else looks for work—or so it’s been said. Networking can help you find a job, a leadership position, a research opportunity, and more. But what is networking? The concept seems both obvious and abstract. And how should you do it?

What is networking?
Networking is interacting with others to exchange information and contacts. The most successful networkers build genuine relationships and give more than they receive.

Be warned: People can sense desperation a mile away. If you enter a situation with only one goal in mind (making a connection you can later use to your advantage), people will know.

Networking tips

• Network before you need a network. Set the groundwork early with professors, supervisors (in jobs and internships), and other professionals at your school or in your community.
• Don’t focus on your personal agenda.
• Treat everyone respectfully. If you think someone is “just” a clerk or assistant, you risk getting a reputation for acting entitled.
• Make two meaningful connections each semester. Think of how many contacts you’ll acquire before you graduate.
• Keep in touch! Be sure to keep in touch with your network: Ask what’s new with them and share your updates. Your contacts will remember you and can help make connections if something comes up.
• Start building your profile on LinkedIn, and develop it through your student career by adding projects and relevant experiences.

Need more advice? These resources can help improve your networking skills.

• http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/8-things-power-networkers-do-make-connections.html
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2014/07/28/how-to-network-the-right-way-eight-tips/
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhendricks/2014/08/21/6-ways-to-network-more-effectively/

Americans reinvent spirituality and religion

By Brandy Reeves

Young adults in the US are increasingly likely to identify with more than one religious or spiritual tradition. One in five students who responded to a recent Student Health 101 survey considered themselves multifaith, meaning they embrace a blend of religious and spiritual influences.

In most cases, US students complemented Christianity with Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Native American practices, or another tradition. “I was raised evangelically Christian and currently study Shambhala Buddhism. I find values in Native American spirituality and other faiths. I seek the best information on how to live a happy, healthy life and see where that takes me,” says Natalie C., a student at Madison Area Technical College.

• Sixteen percent of Americans identify as multifaith, according to a 2014 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).
• Nearly 1 in 3 Americans say they explore the spiritual ideas or practices of other religious faiths sometimes or often.
• 4 in 10 Americans say they meditate at least once a week.

Americans’ increasing familiarity with minority religions is due partly to the rise of interfaith marriage: 1 in 4 marriages involve a couple of different religious backgrounds, according to the 2012 General Social Survey.

The three most common blendings in our student survey:

• Judaism-Christianity: The Hebrew Bible shares many sources with the Christian Bible. The two religions have similar theology on some points, including the legitimacy of Biblical prophets, belief in angels and demons, and worship of the God of Abraham.
• Judaism-Buddhism: This pairing dates to the 19th
  century. An estimated 30 percent of western
  Buddhists are of Jewish heritage. Buddhism provides a connection to mystical aspects of theology that some believe Judaism lacks.
• Buddhism-Christianity: Buddhism’s meditation practices can help Christians find greater satisfaction in prayer. Buddhism allows flexibility of belief, so Buddhists can draw from Christian moral teachings.

National minority health month

April is National Minority Health Month, a time for publicly grappling with the health disparities that affect racial and ethnic minorities.

What is a health disparity?
A health disparity is “a type of health difference that is closely linked with social or economic disadvantage,” according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. It affects groups of people who have systemically experienced social and/or health obstacles related to factors like race, ethnicity, disability, religion, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Health inequalities are caused mostly by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. As a result, some communities experience a greater burden of illness and a greater risk of early death than others.

Health disparities affect all of us
Health inequities cost a ton of money. On top of massive added health care costs, they also lower productivity and slow economic growth.

How can you help?

• Help increase awareness of health disparities through social media.
• Mentor young people in your community and encourage them to make healthy choices.
• Serve nutritious foods at events.
• Advocate for more sidewalks and outdoor gathering places in your community.

For more information, check out these resources

• CDC
  
• Office of Minority Health