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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Finals Are Here. Have Some Stress Tips.





Breathe Deeply
– Inhale deeply through your nose. Pull the air all the way down, deep into the lungs. Hold the breath for a count of six. Exhale slowly through the mouth to the count of six. Do this for several minutes. Be careful not to hyperventilate. If dizzy or light-headedness occur, begin breathing naturally.

Express Feelings and Thoughts - Call a friend. Join a group. Join a community on the Internet. If you feel these avenues are not helping talk to your doctor, seek out a counselor. Use all resources after through work, church and community. If seeing a counselor is something you’re fearful of, consider getting a pet. Pets listen very well.

Make Time for Relaxation and Fun – Find an activity that makes you feel good. It may be dancing, listening to music, walking along the beach, prayer, hiking in the mountains, working in the garden, taking photographs, watching birds, going to the movies, golfing, swimming, visiting museums. Make a list of activities that give you joy. Break them down into time segments of 2-5 minutes, 5-20 minutes, 30 minutes to ½ day and ½ day or longer. List the activities that give you joy under these time segments. Do at least three of them everyday. Most people think they have to do big things, such as vacations of whole days away from work or home to relieve stress. Not so, small activities that give you joy are the best stress busters.

Exercise - Try something new, like swimming. Begin a walking program. Do some form of exercise that interests you. Make sure to consult your physician beforehand.

Laugh - Laughter is a great way to relieve stress. If you find something funny, have a good belly laugh. Watch funny movies. Read funny stories.

Learn Happy Talk - Humor your stress. Go to www.stressed.com for a class in happy talk.

Get Rid of Negative - Take a hard look at the circle or environment you’re standing in. People who are negative and prone to “moods” spread negativity to others. Learn to say no to negativity and remove yourself from it whenever possible.

Write – Write out your complaints or troubles. Writing is no substitute for professional help but it does allow you to vent your feelings and frustrations. By writing with pen in hand or at the keyboard, you may discover an insight or solution to whatever is frustrating or bothering you.

Get A Massage – Make an investment in yourself. Massage therapy can relax muscles, easy muscle spasm, increase blood flow to skin and muscles and relieve mental and emotional stress. A massage will be one of the best investments you’ve ever made.

Be Realistic in Expectations– Don’t expect everyone to be like you or behave to your code of “shoulds and oughts”. Don’t expect to be right all the time. Don’t expect harmony all the time. Real life has conflicts in it. Be willing to confront conflict, state your needs then work at coming to a mutual compromise.

Examine your expectations of yourself - When you can’t live up to them, they will cause stress, tension and pressure. Learn to say no when unrealistic demands are placed upon you. Communicate what you can do and what you can’t do clearly. Be honest with yourself on the expectations (goals) you place on yourself. Don’t let ego and social pressure force you into being/doing something your not.

Monitor Your Communication Skills – Aggressive and hostile communication with others antagonizes and alienates. Assertive training can help you learn to express your needs without offending others or feeling ignored.

You can only change yourself - Work to grasp the full meaning of this statement. Trying to change another person causes stress to both parties. It can ruin relationships, damage relationships and cause others to withdraw from you. If you make statements such as – if only he, if only she, if only they – then you need to look in the mirror and say, what can I change about myself to make the situation better.

Accept - If you can’t leave a situation that is causing you extreme stress then accept it as it is. Adjust your approach to it. Look for ways to see positive things. Do not dwell on the negative. Above all, if the situation is abusive, either physically or emotionally (this includes work situations also) seek professional help through counseling.

Stress will not suddenly disappear in modern day life. It will remain even increase. To reduce and manage stress takes a commitment to do so. Make a commitment to practice or do anyone of the following tips and chances are stress levels will begin to fall to a range where it is manageable and causes no long-term damage to health or relationships.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Sexaul Education Extravaganza 2009 is Here.


Tuesday
May 5th
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sorin Mall Lawn

Free Sex Ed. -Prizes- Games -Food- Free Protection-

$10 "Don't Be A Dick T-Shirts"
-These are only sold at our events, so don't miss it.-

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

April is Organ Donation Awareness Month!

Almost 100,000 men, women
and children currently
need life-saving organ transplants.



Every 12 minutes another name is added to
the national organ transplant waiting list.



90% of Americans say they support
donation, but only 30% know
the essential steps to take to be a donor.


What is it?

Donor organs and tissues are removed surgically, and the donor’s body is closed, as in any surgery. There are no outward signs of organ donation and open casket funerals are still possible.

How do I become an organ and tissue donor?
Marking your intentions on your driver's license or state ID card will ensure that your wishes are fulfilled. In Minnesota, residents can also register online by visiting www.DonateLifeMN.org. Also, make sure your family knows your wishes.

Myths:
Myth No. 1.
If I agree to donate my organs, my doctor or the emergency room staff won't work as hard to save my life. They'll remove my organs as soon as possible to save somebody else.
Reality. When you go to the hospital for treatment, doctors focus on saving your life — not somebody else's. You'll be seen by a doctor whose specialty most closely matches your particular emergency. The doctor in charge of your care has nothing to do with transplantation.

Myth No. 7.
I'm not in the greatest health, and my eyesight is poor. Nobody would want my organs or tissues.
Reality. Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.

Myth No. 9.
Rich, famous and powerful people always seem to move to the front of the line when they need a donor organ. There's no way to ensure that my organs will go to those who've waited the longest or are the neediest.
Reality. The rich and famous aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else. In fact, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization responsible for maintaining the national organ transplant network, subjects all celebrity transplants to an internal audit to make sure the organ allocation was appropriate.

These myths and more information can be found at the Mayo Clinic.


To find out more on how you can make a difference
and become someone's hero, please visit these links:


Donate Life
Organ Donor
Organ Transplants

Friday, April 3, 2009

April is STD Awareness Month.

Ah yes, STDs. Remember those? Those little issues that are said to infiltrate your privates and grow puss. Yeah those things. Guess what? Well most of them don't puss, they are extremely harmful to your health and the health of people besides you- the people you spread it to...know what's even more extreme? Only 10% of people who have an STD, are aware of it. That means 90% of people have no idea they are carrying around a desease.

There are nearly 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the U.S. each year. About half are among 15-24 year olds.

Think about it...Most of us wont eat the food we drop on the floor, yet we may not think twice about the penis, tongue or finger we're about to put in our mouth-or other bodily opening. Food it's gross, our body parts are not gross...but we don't know where they have been. Yet even if its our own food, that we dropped- just for a second- most of us do not choose to pick it up and put it in our mouth...but we choose to accept other body parts into our...whatever(s).

If you've put someone else's body part in your orpheus, get checked. You don't know where it's been. So get checked, click here. It's Family Tree Clinic's Link, they are close and have recently been teaming up with Hamline to support the student (us) in sexual health. They are just waiting...they want to keep us safe. How much easier can it be? Yes, it is...if you do not have a car, Counseling and Health Services will pay for your ride to the bus, or get a cab, to Family Tree. There are people on this campus just waiting to help you get checked, and will be more than excited to assist you! Here they are- click.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Spring Break is Coming...


Are you ready?

Spring Break Tips

Travel
If you are taking a road trip, check out all belts, hoses, fluid levels, spare tire and tires on the car.

Pack tools, a cellular phone, a first aid kit, a flashlight, an AAA card, fire extinguisher, water and snacks just in case the car breaks down.

Remember to bring your health insurance card and allergy bracelets.

Let your family and trusted friends know when you are leaving, when you’ll get back and how you are traveling.

Take turns behind the wheel, and whoever sits shotgun should stay awake to keep the driver company. Make sure everyone has a valid driver’s license and the vehicle registration is in the car before driving off.

If you are traveling by bus, rail or air, don’t bring magazines with your name and address. Tear off your address label. You do not want people who know that you are away from home to know where you live.

Don't have your name and address highly visible on your luggage for the same reason.

Be aware of pickpockets who prey on people in crowds. They get close and bump into you without you noticing. Pickpockets also work in groups. One will distract while the other slips away with your goodies.

If you stop at a restaurant, bar or café and set your bag down, put your foot through the strap. That way it won't be taken without you knowing. Also, you'll remember to take it with you when you trip over it as you leave.

Beach Bound

Drink plenty of water, non-carbonated and non-alcoholic drinks, even if you do not feel thirsty.

The sun’s damaging UV rays can bounce back from sand, snow or concrete; so be particularly careful of these areas.


Most of the sun’s rays can come through the clouds on an overcast day; so use sun protection even on cloudy days.


When choosing a sunscreen, look for the words "broad-spectrum" on the label - it means that the sunscreen will screen out both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. Choose a water-resistant or waterproof sunscreen and reapply every two hours.


The Hotel
Reserve a room that’s above the 1st floor but below the 6th floor. Why? First floor rooms are easier to break into, and rooms above the sixth floor are sometimes too high for fire ladders to reach. If safes are provided, definitely use them for any valuables you may have. Keep doors and sliding doors locked, and don’t let anyone into your room unless you can trust them. Make a mental note of where the nearest fire exits and stairwells are located in case you need to evacuate.



For more tips visit:
Safe Spring Break

Saturday, March 7, 2009

March is National Nutrition Month

Celebrate it by following a quick tip on one of the simplest tricks to staying healthy.


Water

  1. Water makes up 60% of your body weight on average.
  2. It flushes out toxins, carries nutrients throughout your body, and maintains your temperature.
  3. You lose water through many common daily routines, so to replenish it, you should drink about eight cups a day.
  4. How do you know if you're drinking enough water? If you're not feeling thirsty throughout the day and your urine is mostly clear, you're probably doing all right

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Education Yourself By Watching Muppets.