Better Read Those Books

Well, all those people encouraging us to read more book may actually have some real benefits. Studies have shown that people who read live longer and have a better memory.

An article on bustle.com explains that reading can improve memory because people who read have more complex minds. Also, reading the book is better than watching the movie version because reading works different parts of the brain that can help with language and vision. That same article also suggests reading can reduce stress levels. Researchers found that just six minutes of reading can help reduce stress levels by 68%. That’s a big number!

Another benefit is that reading can give you more energy while working out. Reader's Digest gives the example that a person is more likely to stay on an exercise machine when they are reading an interesting book. This because they do not want to stop reading the captivating chapter in the book.

The local news station in Hattiesburg recently covered a story about reading improving health. The video said one study found that “older adults who read regularly or played mentally challenging games were two and a half times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.” Click here to watch the entire video.

Oral Health

Dental, or oral, health is often looked over when trying to maintain a healthy body. Also, many people do not go to the dentist until they are in pain, when they should go about twice a year.

Everyone knows that not maintaining a healthy mouth can lead to cavities, especially in children. However, there are other problems that can occur as well. World Health Organization says that the most common oral diseases are dental cavities, periodontal (gum) disease, oral cancer, and more. Click here to learn more about each disease.

One serious disease caused is oral cancer. WebMD explains that oral cancer comes from a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away and can include the lip, tongue, floor of the mouth and other places. The article explains that eating a well-balanced diet, not smoking, and limiting time in the sun can prevent oral cancer.

MedlinePlus summarizes the best way to keep a healthy mouth. A person should brush their teeth and floss daily, limit the amount of sugary snacks, don’t smoke or chew tobacco, and see a dentist regularly. Click here to read about dental health.

Summer is Around the Corner

With summer break being around the corner for many students, I decided to write about tips to stay healthy over the summer.

WebMD provides eight tips on how to stay healthy. One tip suggests adding mixed berries to a person’s diet every day to improve the diet. They also suggest to go outside for hikes or go swimming. These are great activities that can be done with children or extended families every day or on vacations. Click here to read the rest of the tips.

Another article recommends adding healthier meals such as grilled veggies or fruit salad to the summer menu. The author even provides different types of food that will be much healthier at barbeques and picnics. Click here to learn more.

Healthy.net said to stay cool and hydrated and to protect yourself from the sun. An interesting tip was to drink at least two to four cups of water after waking up. Also, it is always great to travel with a bottle of water, especially in extremely hot cities. Wearing a hat and using sunscreen without excessive chemicals can protect you from overexposure. They also said aloe plants in the home can soothe sunburns.

Tasty Strawberries

Over the weekend, I bought some strawberries for my son to see if he would like them. He is very picky when it comes to fruit. He has not tried them yet. Strawberries are often not the first type of fruit someone thinks of when they think of fruit, but they are actually pretty healthy.

I learned that strawberries can help with allergies and asthma on medicalnewstoday.com. The site said that the anti-inflammatory effects of quertcetin may alleviate runny nose and watery eyes. My son has bad allergies, so maybe the strawberries can help this if he likes them.

Along with this, strawberries can also improve eye care and bring relief from high blood pressure and arthritis. The antioxidants are able to relieve the pain. Click here to read all about the benefits.

The nutritional facts found on authoritynutrition.com prove that strawberries are very healthy. The fruit is made up of 91% water and 7.7% of carbohydrates. Click here for the full list of nutritional facts.  

I Need to Cleanse My Body

With finals around the corner and so many assignments due at once, I have not been eating healthy like I usually do. I have been thinking about doing a detox after my finals to cleanse my body from all of the bad food I have put into it. I decided to share some of the research I found about detoxing on my blog.

First, detoxing is basically just cleansing the body of any toxins. Juicing, drinking specially prepared smoothies, tea, or juice is a popular method of going through a detox. Some people go on healthy food diets as a way to study.

Two of the benefits of detoxing can be increased energy during the day and it can help to manage stress. Click here to read five other benefits.

bodyandsoul.com breaks down the types of drinks and food that should be avoided as well as what should be included in a healthy detox. Foods to avoid are alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, and milk products. Foods to enjoy should be fruit, vegetables, fish, and nuts.

Dailyburn.com provides three tips to follow when trying to detox: pack in the proteins, don’t banish carbs, and keep calories under control. Click here to read some of the “detoxifying breakfast recipes” on the website.

Grapefruit

Something that I have not had in a while is grapefruit. It was never my favorite type of fruit, but my mom used to eat them all the time and I would have some every now and then. It turns out, though, that grapefruit can actually be really healthy and is great for a balanced diet.

Research has been done that shows grapefruit being able to help combat cancer. MedicalNewsToday said, “As an excellent source of the strong antioxidant vitamin C as well as other antioxidants, grapefruit can help combat the formation of free radicals known to cause cancer.” This is a simple way to try to help prevent that awful disease. Click here to read more.

Grapefruit can also help with indigestion and diabetes. Organicfact.net explains that when helping with indigestion, the fiber and vegetative pulp in grapefruit adds bulk to the bowels and regulates your excretory schedule. For diabetes, the fruit can help regulate the flow of sugar in the body. To read more about what grapefruit can do, click here.

On the scientific side, grapefruit can improve heart health and reduce the risk of kidney stones. “The most common type of kidney stones is calcium oxalate stones. Citric acid, an organic acid found in grapefruit, may be effective at preventing them by binding with calcium in the kidneys and flushing it out of the body,” authoritynutrition.com said. Read the rest of the article here.

Hearing Health

My family has a long history of hearing loss which brings me to my topic today on hearing health.

When researching, I found that there are different types of hearing loss. In an online article found on Evergreen Speech and Hearing Clinic’s website, they list four different types.

·         Conductive hearing loss affect the outer or middle ear. A person’s ability to conduct sound to the inner ear is affected with this type of loss.

·         Sensorineural hearing loss, also known as nerve hearing loss, is the most common and results from damage to the inner ear.

·         Mixed hearing loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing losses.

·         Tinnitus is the perception of sound when an external source of sound is absent. It can creates a ringing noise for the individual to hear.

To read more about the different hearing losses click here.

My grandmother and aunt, who wear hearing aids, travel to the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at USM to have their hearing aids evaluated. Troubleshooting of their devices is also done at the clinic. Click on their website to learn more about what the clinic does.

So how does a person prevent hearing loss in this noisy world? WebMd provides eight ways to do this. One that stood out to me was to not smoke. It says, “Tobacco can raise your risk for hearing loss, too, research shows.” The site also warns people to check medications for hearing risks and that about 200 medications can damage hearing. Click here to read the rest of the article. 

Type 2 Diabetes

Did you know that drinking only one soda or sugary drink a day could increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes? I definitely did not know this. Kick the Can website says that drinking those sugary drinks increase the risk of developing the disease by 26 percent. The site also says these drinks can also lead to heart disease. Learn more here.

Healthlinesaid, “Being overweight or obese is linked to the development of type 2 diabetes.”  Yet, we all know that sugary drinks could lead to obesity and being overweight. Therefore, we should all cut down on sodas, sweet tea, and all the other sugary drinks to improve or maintain our health.

The NPR warns that even if a person is “skinny and normal-weight,” they could still be at risk from what they drink and how often they workout. Click here to read this article.

Stress

Everyone has been under some type of stress at some point in their life. So, what kind of health risks could be caused from being under stress?

According to the Mayo Clinic, if stress is left untreated or controlled, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. They also list common effects of stress on the body which include common pains that someone may have such as a headache. Muscle tensions and pain and sleep problems could also be common effects of stress. Click here to read that entire article.

Health.com provides a list of other effects produced by stress and one includes digestion. The article said, “In particular, irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, which is characterized by pain and bouts of constipation and diarrhea is thought to be fueled in part by stress.” Many people never think that stress could lead to these problems, though.

So how can we keep our stress levels down to prevent these health problems? An article found on apa.org describes a few different ways. Three of their suggestions were to identify the cause of stress, rest the mind, and get help from a professional. Click here to read the description of each solution.

Health Myths

There are tons of health myths that people have been created over time. Yet, some of them may surprise you. For instance, I was always told to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. However, according to WebMd, people only have to drink water when they are thirsty to get enough of it for the day.

Another myth found on health.com is that coffee can dehydrate you. A study was done between coffee drinkers and water drinkers and it turns out, the coffee drinkers weren’t any more dehydrated than those who drank water. Coffee drinkers will love to know this is a myth. Read the article to get the full story.

Contrary to what I blogged about last week using symptomfind.com, WebMd says that eating breakfast generally does not make a person lose weight. A study found that people who don’t eat breakfast actually eat 400 fewer calories. Click here to view other myths.

Climate Change and Health?

Did you know that April 3-9 is recognized as National Public Health Week? Did you know that different types of health are given days, weeks, or months to be observed each month out of the year? Well I sure didn’t, but I learned about many national health observances on this website. Check it out to learn more.

Since today is April 7, I decided to blog about something dealing with public health. National Public Health Week actually has its own website where I learned that climate change can have an effect on our health now and in the future. The site explains that explains that warmer weather can worsen the risk of strokes, heart attacks and many other things. Click here to read more about the effects of climate change and what to do about it. 

Globalchange.gov states, “Climate change can therefore affect human health in two main ways: first, by changing the severity or frequency of health problems that are already affected by climate or weather factors; and second, by creating unprecedented or unanticipated health problems or health threats in places where they have not previously occurred.” Who knew that the climate could have so many effects on a person’s health?

Don't Forget About Breakfast

Remember when your mom used to make you eat breakfast before leaving the house? Well, it turns out that there are many reasons people should eat breakfast.

But first, everyone should know what the word breakfast means. One article on symptomfind.com says that the word means “to break the fast between dinner and the meal eaten after a person wakes up in the morning.” Maybe this is why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The article also says that eating breakfast could keep someone from overeating. This makes sense because a person will become so hungry throughout the morning and eat a huge lunch. This can then lead to obesity problems. Click here to read more about it.

Eating a healthy breakfast (key word, healthy), could also lower a persons’ cholesterol level and improve concentration and performance in the classroom or boardroom, according to WebMd.

A person is most likely to be in a better mood if they have eaten breakfast. An article found on todaysdietitian.com said people “’are also likely to be happier and less grouchy when [they] aren’t distracted by hunger pangs.’” Click here to read that article.

Remember in the last blog written, a better mood could lead to a longer and healthier life. So eat a healthy breakfast every day!

Think Positive

Well, it’s basically a fact now. Studies show, having a positive outlook on life can lead to living longer and improving one’s health. Research was published in a journal of the American Heart Association which studied 607 patients in a hospital. The study found that the patients with an overall positive attitude were 58% more likely to live at least another five years. Click on The Huffington Post to read the entire article.

Not only does a good mood and positive thinking lengthen a persons’ life, it could also improve cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and lower rates of depression according to an article by Mayo Clinic.

The New York Times wrote an article that lists eight skills to practice to encourage positive outlooks daily. Some of the skills include recognizing a positive event each day, listing a personal strength and show how you used it and recognizing and practicing small acts of kindness daily. Click here to read about it.

Everyone wants to be healthy and live long, this is one easy way to accomplish that dream.

What to Eat to Stay Healthy

Where do people start when they want to begin eating healthy? Do they just eat more salads and fruit? Well, eating healthy takes lots of planning, but it can have great outcomes. A healthy plate should have fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy. Examples of each group would be melons and berries, carrots and tomatoes, brown rice and oatmeal, salmon and beef, and yogurt and cheese. Choosemyplate.gov gives great detail on what food is in each group and which foods are best. When eating healthy, Fitness Magazine suggests to eat by the clock. Meaning, people should eat smaller portions of food throughout the day so they are not hungry as often. Another good tip provided was to be a smart shopper by reading the nutrition labels to look for things like low sodium. Click here to read the entire article. According to helpguide.org studies show that eating healthier foods can improve moods and lower the risk of mental health problems. On the flip side, eating junk food can increase depression and stress. Click here to read more.

Yummy and Healthy Fruits

Eating fruit is a great way to keep a healthy diet. I love most fruit, but my top three favorites are pineapples, bananas, and apples. While doing some research, I found that all three of these fruits have great health factors.

It turns out that pineapples can actually help reduce mucus in the throat and nose from a cold and they can increase a persons’ eye health as they age. Check out Live Science to read all about the benefits of delicious pineapples.

One of the reasons bananas should be added to a persons’ diet is because they are low in calories, but still filling. This could lead to weight loss! Authority Nutrition says that there has not been an actual study to prove this, but that bananas have “several features that should make them a weight loss friendly food.” Also, since bananas are rich in potassium, they can lower blood sugar and even lower heart disease. Click here to read the full article.

Apples, which have always been known to keep the doctors’ away have numerous health benefits. Researchers have found that apples in a daily diet could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Evidence has also shown that apples could prevent breast cancer. To read more about these studies, click here.

Overweight vs. Obesity

Most people losing weight create a special number of how much they want to weight or what size in clothing they want to fit, then work toward that goal. However, there is actually a suggested weight that each person should be to maintain a healthy size. Now, many of these numbers are surprising because the numbers that sound like a healthy size could actually be overweight depending on the height of a person.

First, let’s look at what overweight and obesity truly mean.MedlinePlus explains that “obesity means having too much fat” and overweight means “weighting too much.” I honestly thought that someone who is obese simply weighs more than usual, but it is really the fat that is more. The article also mentions other illnesses that come from being obese such as arthritis and some cancers!

Rush University Medical Center provides a list of the suggested weight of a person and if a persons’ weight is normal, overweight, or obese. At 5’9” and weighing 177, I am considered overweight according to this chart. Click here to view where you fall on the scale.

A persons’ BMI (Body Mass Index) can determine someone’s “high body fatness” according to the CDC. My BMI is 26.1 which is overweight. Find yours now. Click on the article to read which BMI levels fall within each category of weight.

Meditation

So today I was sitting near Centennial Lawn on campus doing some school work. While I was sitting, a man came and spoke to me about a book that he was giving to people for donations. The book was about meditation and the man had been a former monk for seven years. This lead me to wonder if meditation had any health benefits aside from relieving stress. It turns out, after doing some research there are other healthy factors. WebMD explains that the relaxation from meditating can lower a persons’ blood pressure. Click on this article to find out how this is possible. Meditation can also be used in lots of other ways as well. The Huffington Post names addiction, depression, and eating disorders as some of the things that can be improved by meditating. That’s impressive. Another shock to me was that pain can be relieved by meditating. Click here to read how meditation can “alter the perception of pain.” Meditation can actually help others in more ways than I thought.

Healthy Friendships Can Lead to Healthy Lives

Who knew that healthy lifestyles could be improved by having healthy relationships with others? Many people realize that it is good to have at least one best friend, even more, to share personal stories with. But, according to a blog on adventisthealthcare.com, having good friendships or supportive partner can allow a person to handle stress and recover from heart attacks better. This does make sense, though. One article explains that most people try to spend the holidays with their family. We do not only do this because we want to visit our family, but we also want to relax and get away from the stress in our lives. The article also explains that by spending time with family or close friends, a person could live longer and have less health problems. Click here to read the entire article. Having a significant other can lead to great benefits as well. In fact, an article shows a study that claims married people recover better after heart surgery! Another benefit that I can attest to myself is reason number 10, “having a healthy significant other can make you more likely to be healthy, too.” My boyfriend and I have started losing weight from working out and eating right. So it is possible that him working out contributed to me starting to work out and eat healthy foods. 

Sugary Drinks

We know that water is the best drink for anyone to have. However, we all want some flavor in our life at some point. Flavor is good to an extent, but it could lead to health problems if we drink too much. Harvard T. H. Chan states, “Sugary drinks are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic.” Unfortunately, Mississippi is very familiar with obesity. Many people who start to live healthy lifestyles tend to stay away from sodas. But to my surprise, there are many other sugary drinks out there, too. Health.com compiled a list of sugary drinks. Of course, my beloved sweet tea made the list. Yet, other drinks such as sports drinks and flavored coconut water made the list as well. Click here to read the details of why these sugary drinks made the list. Aside from obesity, drinking those sugary drinks can lead to many other problems. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says these drinks can cause type 2 diabetes, heart disease, a type of arthritis and other illnesses.

I failed the challenge

So an update to my cold shower challenge. It was not a success for me. I think I may have lasted for about a full week and then I started to cheat by turning to cold water at the end of my showers. One guy described his one week experience of cold showers on Men'sHealth.com. I do agree with him that taking cold showers motivated me to begin my day.

However, it turns out cold showers are not beneficial for everyone. Quora explains that people with heart disease, high blood pressure, and who may have a fever will not benefit from taking cold showers. With heart disease it could trigger a stroke and with high blood pressure it could cause a stroke. This makes sense because even when I turned the cold water on, my heart would skip a few beats.

Also, cold showers do not have a long term effect on weight loss according to HealthResearchFunding.org. It turns out is does not burn fat the same way in everyone.

I still encourage you to take cold showers if you can handle it. And kudos to those who can!

Do you get enough sleep?

When you’re my age (21), you may often question “what is sleep?” I don’t even come close to the eight hours of sleep that researchers suggest I get. However, I may need to start getting that sleep if I want to stay healthy. WebMd suggests that studies show serious health problems that can arise from a lack of sleep such as heart attacks and diabetes.

Getting the correct amount of sleep can relieve stress according to Health.com. I can support this idea 100% because whenever I am stressed, if I am able to sleep, I tend to feel better when I wake up. When I have the chance to sleep, I take it. The article also claimed that stress and health, “can affect cardiovascular health.

Surprisingly getting enough sleep can help your immune system function. The article says, “Some cytokines have a protective effect on your immune system by helping to fight inflammation and infection. The immune system release those cytokines.

Click on any one of these websites to learn why sleep is so important and why it is needed.

Health is Golden

A few years ago, USM started the "Health is Golden" campaign to promote a healthy lifestyle in the Hattiesburg community. I'm sure you have heard about the freshman 15. This is when some freshman gain weight, about 15 pounds, while on campus. Many students gain weight because we have the option to "snack" on foods until the wee hours of the morning. Also, some people like to eat when they become extremely stressed. Being in college can sometimes cause a person to become stressed out as a result of exams, projects, and trying to maintain a personal life. One article explains that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Foundation granted USM with a $250,000 grant to fund the campaign. To get the program started, Student Health Services provided the community with different ways to keep them motivated to living healthy. Click to here read the full list of opportunities. The program first started with the community and it had a great response as shown in this video. Student Health services later extended it to students on campus to promote a healthy lifestyle as a student.

More Moving Less Sitting

In today’s society, people do a lot more sitting throughout the day. Whether it is at work, school, or even at home, everyone sits for long periods of time. Most people know that sitting for extended periods are bad, but do they know how bad it is for their health? The Washington Post has an article on their webpage that provides a picture of the body sitting down. In the picture, they describe each body part that is damaged as a result of sitting for a long time. They explain that heart disease is a big problem to sitting since it’s linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and an increase in getting cardiovascular disease.  

Like me, many people think if you work out during the day that will balance out the time lost from sitting. Well, according to an article in The Huffington Post, cardiology experts determined that “no amount of physical activity is enough to combat the dangerous health effects of sitting.” So does this mean that all my time spent exercising because I had desk job was for nothing? On the bright side, exercising is still beneficial, it just wasn’t going to change the fact that I sat for eight or nine hours.

So what are those people with jobs that require long hours of sitting to do? The Mayo Clinic provides some ways to get moving even while at work. Standing while talking on the phone and having meetings while walking laps instead of in a room are two great ideas. Click here to see other ways to stay moving at work. 

Group Exercise

So I have been working out lately to lose weight and get a tone body. Spring and summer time are quickly approaching and I love to go to the beach! I have been going to the Payne Center on campus and I love the facility. One of the programs offered is group exercise. I usually go on Thursday afternoons. Last semester Zumba was offered and now it is Cardio and Core. Click here to view all of the group classes offered and their description.

I like the group classes because I am able to change up my workout routine during the week. Motivation is another reason people choose group exercise according to one article. I do believe this is true because when I feel like quitting during the workout, the instructor or other in the class encourage me to finish strong.

Working out in groups can be fun for some people because they can work out with friends or make new friends. Having fun is the best way to ensure a good workout. Once you get into the workout and keep up with the upbeat music, the pain will ease and you’ll want to keep going. Click here to see this articles’ take on having fun while exercising.

Drink that Water!!

Everyone knows that drinking water is the best thing for your body, but some people (like me) still do not like to drink it. I have gotten better with trying to drink more water throughout the day, though. I found many different reasons of why people should drink water. By learning about these tips, maybe people will continue to try to drink as much water as they can. I knew water could be used for replenishing fluids back into your body, but I did not know our body is composed of 60 percent of water, according to WebMD. I can see why it is so important to drink water, now.

Another interesting reason why people should drink lots of water is because it helps to prevent hangovers. I do not drink alcohol much, so I have never had a hangover. Authority Nutrition suggests people should drink glasses of water in between drinks and have a big glass before going to bed at night.

So what about people like me who just do not like to drink water? I mean, water literally has no taste! Well the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommends to put lemon in the water so it can have a better taste. They also explain that freezing a water bottle with water in it allows you to carry cold water around all day. For some reason, cold water does tend to taste better, well at least to me it does.

Take a closer look at each of the websites above. They include more information on why water is an essential part of the body.

Why get vaccinated?

Well, my son turned one last Thursday which meant that it was time for those one year old shots. He was a trooper, though. Babies are forced to get all these shots within the first year, and most parents (like myself) go along with it because it is the best thing to do. Other parents, however, ask all the questions of why their child should receive so many vaccinations, especially if the child stays home.

One article explains why it is important to get children vaccinated. The most important reason they list is that it could save the child’s life by protecting them from the dangerous diseases. The article comforts parents by explaining how the shots are safe and effective.

My son received the chickenpox vaccine, also known as varicella, and the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine during his most recent visit to the doctor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information on numerous vaccines, including these two. I learned here that before the chickenpox vaccine, about 11,000 people were hospitalized and about 100 people died each year from the disease.

The article about MMR explained that mumps could lead to deafness which is something that I did not know. Without the vaccinations, this disease could return to the United States.

Be Happy: Have a Healthy Heart

So last night, while listening to the radio, I learned that Forrest General Hospital has a wellness page that provides tips on healthy living and eating. They also have blogs which provide interesting tips on how to stay healthy. I found a blog about keeping the heart healthy by being happy. The blogs suggests that happiness reduces stress and lower blood pressure.

When you think about it, this makes perfect sense. When people are truly happy, they are not depressed and usually are calmer when it comes to hard times or stress. In return, I can see how happiness helps a persons’ heart.

I learned that positive feelings can result in longer lives as well as other factors. This makes sense as well, because you may know someone who has lost a spouse, then, that someone later passes away. Sometimes the depression and loneliness can lead to that person passing away within the next year of their spouse dying. Could it be that the lack of happiness resulted in their death? Check out the entire article.

In fact, WebMD wrote, “the researchers found that the happiest people were 22% less likely to develop heart disease…” I personally haven’t ever had any heart problems or unbalanced blood pressure, even while pregnant. Maybe it is because I am a pretty happy person overall!

I Survived a Cold Shower!

Have you ever heard of people taking cold showers every day or frequently? I actually follow a girl on YouTube who focuses on fitness. She made a video suggesting that people should take cold showers forever. She even explained some of the benefits. Click here to watch that video by Sandra Perez. I have taken cold showers before because I have been to Haiti a few times. Yet, I used the cold water because I absolutely had no other choice. Today, I took a cold shower even when I had access to the warm water. I took it right after I worked out today. I have to say, one I survived, and two, I felt better. But, I will not take them forever!

One man committed to the “30 Day Cold Shower Challenge.” Read his story to get inspired. I will try my best to complete this challenge.

Medical Daily lists and explained seven benefits, some that Sandra explained as well. I have the list below for you.

My result from taking the cold shower in just one day increased my alertness and sped up my muscle recovery. Usually I am dead tired from finishing a hard workout, but I still have class to attend or homework to complete. Today, however, I felt refreshed when I got out the shower and ready to finish my day strong. I also feel my muscles relaxing as I tackled that cold water!

Benefits of Cold Showers:

• ·         Increases alertness
• ·         Refines hair and skin
• ·         Improves immunity and circulation
• ·         Stimulates weight loss
• ·         Speeds up muscle soreness and recovery
• ·         Eases stress
• ·         Relieves depression

Moffitt Health Center

For the first blog, let’s keep it simple and provide my readers with information on the Moffitt Health Center in Hattiesburg, MS. The new health center located on Fourth Street has only been open for about two or three years now. I have not been inside yet, but I will make plans to visit just to see how it looks. The center provides great services for USM students, faculty, and staff. In fact, while reading their services online, I found that they provide numerous services for women such as breast exams and annual physicals and Pap tests. Click here to find all of the services that are provided at the Health Center.

As college students, we tend to forget to take care of our bodies which then affect our health. Students may especially forget because they are not at home, where their parents usually make them go to the doctor for annual checkups. We are so focused on studying and enjoying the college experience that we do not realize it has been two years or longer since we have seen a doctor. Well, until we get really sick. The center allows students to get treated right here on campus. This is definitely a good service for those who live far away and cannot always get to their home doctor right away.

For instance, some college women, including myself forget that once we turn 21 it is time for our Pap smear exams. On this website, health professionals suggests that 21 is the best age to have these exams done. Again, many students are not thinking about these types of exams because we are so busy with our college lives.

Introduction to the blog

Hello everyone, my name is Beverly Andrews. I am a senior at USM and will be graduating next fall (Dec. 2017). My major is Criminal Justice and my minor is News Editorial Journalism. I am from Pensacola, FL and I have a soon to be one year old son (his birthday is next week)!

Now, this blog is about health. However, I will provide a various range of topics about health. So far, I am thinking about writing blogs about campus resources on how to be and stay healthy, daily lifestyle changes that may improve your health, and the general health of babies, toddlers, and adults. So, be on the lookout for these topics, as well as many others.

While writing this blog, I will try to experience all of the tips that I provide so that I can give a firsthand opinion on if I believe the health tip actually works. For instance, another blog post coming soon will be the benefits of taking cold showers. Once I do some further research on the benefits, I will try it myself and tell you the results.

I am looking forward to learning about health as I provide you with the information that I find!