November 2006
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- Preventing the Flu and Colds (Cover Story)
It’s that season again – flu and cold season. Since most of us live in close proximity to others, we are at increased risk of getting the flu and colds. Not eating balanced meals, lack of sleep and stress can put us at increased risk of becoming sick. - World AIDS Day: Keep the Promise
Each year on December 1st, the world takes notice of AIDS. World AIDS Day began in 1988 and continues today. It’s a day that was created to recommit ourselves to ending this world-wide pandemic. This year’s theme, “Stop AIDS – Keep the Promise” asks us to individually and collectively act. - Great American Smokeout: November 16, 2006
Have you ever considered nipping your use of tobacco in the butt? Well here is your chance! Each year, on the third Thursday of November, the American Cancer Society holds a nationwide event known as the Great American Smokeout. - What Will You Be Eating for Thanksgiving Dinner?
UNH plans annual food drive to stop hunger. - Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) is a type of winter depression that affects an estimated half a million people every winter between September and April, in particular during December, January and February.
PREVENTING THE FLU AND COLDS
By Judy Stevens, Community Health Nurse/Wellness Educator
It’s that season again – flu and cold season. Since most of us live in close proximity to others, we are at increased risk of getting the flu and colds. Not eating balanced meals, lack of sleep and stress can put us at increased risk of becoming sick.
The flu (influenza) is very contagious. It spreads in respiratory droplets caused by sneezing or coughing. Symptoms of the flu may include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat and muscle aches. According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, if you have the flu, you may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before getting symptoms and up to 7 days after getting sick.
Like the flu, a virus causes the common cold. Unlike the flu though, colds rarely cause headaches or fever.
Here are some suggestions for preventing the flu and colds:
AVOID CLOSE CONTACT
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
STAY HOME WHEN YOU ARE SICK
If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. Not going to public places will help prevent others from catching your illness.
COVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve. And don’t forget to dispose of your tissues properly!
CLEAN YOUR HANDS
You can pick up germs/viruses through shaking hands, touching doorknobs, phones, computers, etc. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs/viruses. Wash your hands with soap and water or with an alcohol-based cleaner regularly. There is no need to use antibacterial soap or hand cleansers; in fact, these items are often expensive and are not as effective in killing germs/viruses as soap and water. Remember, count to 20 while washing!
DON’T SHARE
Don’t share towels, eating utensils, toothbrushes, drinking glasses or other items that may spread germs. This is the one time in your life when you are told you shouldn’t share. Remember, even if someone is not sick at the time of sharing, he or she may still be contagious for a flu or cold that can develop into symptoms the next day.
AVOID TOUCHING YOUR EYES, NOSE OR MOUTH
Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Try to eat healthy meals and get enough sleep. See the Health Services Web site at www.unh.edu/health-services for more information on sleep and eating to boost the immune system.
GET A FLU SHOT
Remember, the flu shot only protects you from the flu, not colds.
If you do become sick, the caring staff at Health Services is available to help you get well again; call (603) 862-2856.
WORLD AIDS DAY: Keep the Promise
by Peter Welch, Wellness Educator/Counselor
Each year on December 1st, the world takes notice of AIDS. World AIDS Day began in 1988 and continues today. It’s a day that was created to recommit ourselves to ending this world-wide pandemic. This year’s theme, "Stop AIDS – Keep the Promise" asks us to individually and collectively act. The theme asks us to respond by taking action to prevent new HIV infections. We are asked to protect ourselves and protect our sexual partners by always using condoms.
In the world, there are now nearly 40 million adults and over 2 million children living with HIV/AIDS. During 2005, there were nearly 5 million new HIV infections. Ninety-five percent of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing countries. Around half of all people became infected with HIV before their 25th birthday, and are killed by AIDS before they reach 35. These numbers are staggering.
What can you do?
Think globally, act locally.
- Protect yourself and your partner(s) by ALWAYS using condoms during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. You can get free condoms and dental dams at Health Services.
- Get an HIV test! Health Services offers a Rapid HIV Test, which means you get results in 20 minutes. The cost is only $20. Walk in hours are Mondays, 1-3 p.m. and Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Call (603) 862-3823 for more information or visit www.unh.edu/health-services
- Get involved in HIV prevention efforts on campus by joining Peer Education. Call (603) 862-3823 if you are interested.
- Attend campus events sponsored by Health Services and UNH for ONE. Look for more details coming soon on these events.
- Attend the AIDS Response Seacoast World AIDS Day event at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Portsmouth. Contact ARS at (603) 433-5377 for more information on that event.
- Support AIDS Response Seacoast, our local ASO (AIDS Support Organization). They are always looking for volunteers. www.aidsresponse.org
- Buy Red – Musician Bono is promoting a new company (RED) that donates some of its proceeds to people with AIDS in Africa who need life-saving medicines. www.joinred.com
NIP IT IN THE BUTT
By: Shari Davis, Jennie Murphy, American Cancer Society Interns
Have you ever considered nipping your use of tobacco in the butt? Well here is your chance! Each year, on the third Thursday of November, the American Cancer Society holds a nationwide event known as the Great American Smokeout. This event is geared towards helping you and millions of others stop the use of tobacco products.
As many as one third of the nation’s 46 million tobacco users could be taking a day off from using tobacco products. For a 24 hour period you and many others across the country will fight the temptation to use tobacco products. Sound overwhelming? That’s why we’re taking this one day at a time. By meeting and working with others and talking to those around you, we can accomplish this. There’s no permanent obligation after this, but we are here to aid those who want to fight their use of tobacco products. Taking the day off could be the first day of a tobacco free life.
UNH HEALTH SERVICES CAN HELP YOU QUIT!
We offer: counseling, hypnosis, acupuncture, non-prescription & prescription medications.
You can also pick up a FREE QUIT KIT!
Containing strategies to help you quit, cessation options and even things to help you through a craving!
WHAT WILL YOU BE EATING FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER?
By Suzanne Sonneborn, Nutrition Educator
Did you know that the NH Food Bank faces a critical shortage of food after experiencing a 45% increase in distribution and a 62% decrease in food donations?
Last year at this time, the NH Food Bank housed an inventory of almost half a million pounds of food. This year, they only have 200,000 pounds
The NH Food Bank is in dire need of canned vegetables, tuna, peanut butter and cereal
Did you know that poverty in New Hampshire is on the rise?
- Since 2004 the poverty rate has increased from 6% to 7.5% according to the US Census
- Over 95,000 people in New Hampshire now live in poverty, 28,000 of those are children
- The poverty rate in Durham is 27.69% as compared to a rate of 8.41% in Dover. The large student population in Durham accounts for this large percentage. However, there are students and other members of the Durham community who do not have regular access to food.
What can you do?
Contact Larry Brickner-Wood at (603) 862-1165 or Larry.BricknerWood@unh.edu to find out how you or your organization can put a holiday food basket together. Last year this project provided over 250 baskets of food to UNH students, staff and their families.
The Cornucopia Food Pantry provides food and other support to UNH students, staff, faculty and their families. Find out about Cornucopia, UNH’s Food Pantry and their specific needs by visiting their Web site at http://www.unh.edu/cornucopia
If you are a UNH faculty or staff member, UNH Dining will be mailing a special promotion to enjoy a discounted lunch at Philbrook, Stillings and Holloway Commons Dining Halls between November 4-17, in exchange for a non-perishable food donation
Contribute a monetary donation to the NH Food Bank via UNH’s Virtual FoodDrive at http://vad.aidmatrix.org/vadxml.cfm?driveid=1779. Every dollar donated helps the New Hampshire Food Bank distribute 4 meals to people in need.
The greater UNH community is invited to contribute canned food donations at:
- UNH Women’s Hockey Game vs. Northeastern at 2:00 PM on November 18th
- UNH Men’s Hockey Game vs. U Mass-Lowell at 7:00 PM on November 18th
Food donations will be accepted at marked locations across campus, including Gregg Hall, The Thompson School, Waysmeet at United Campus Ministry, Office of Community Service and Learning, Health Services, Hamel Recreation Center, Kendall Hall, all three Dining Halls and also the Wildcatessen, Philbrook Café, Coffee Office Convenience Store and the Gables Convenience Store.
The Student Nutrition Association will be inviting all student campus organizations to participate in a competition to collect the most pounds of food or the most money during the drive. The winners will be announced and recognized at the Men’s Hockey game on Saturday, November 18th. Contact Ginny King at gru2@cisunix.unh.edu for more information.
For more information contact Suzanne Sonneborn, Nutrition Educator, Health Services at suzanne.sonneborn@unh.edu or (603) 862-4583.
SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (S.A.D.)
By Kelly Reardon, Wellness Educator/Counselor
Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) is a type of winter depression that affects an estimated half a million people every winter between September and April, in particular during December, January and February. The cause of this disorder is unknown, but research believes that melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, may be linked to S.A.D. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days have shortened daylight hours and there is a lack of sunlight, the production of this hormone increases.
Symptoms include:
- Regularly occurring symptoms of depression (sadness, irritation, anxiety, lack of energy, problems concentrating, increased sleep) during the fall or winter months
- Full remission from depression occur in the spring and summer months
- Symptoms have occurred in the past two years, with no non-seasonal depression episodes
- Seasonal episodes substantially outnumber non-seasonal depression episodes
- Increased appetite, especially for sugary and/or starchy foods.
Physicians, nurse practitioners and mental health provider can diagnosis S.A.D.
Treatment can include counseling and/or medication, and/or self-care techniques:
- Light therapy – requires special light therapy lamps, best when used in the early morning, after first waking up
- Taking daily walks outside
- Increasing aerobic exercise, particularly under bright lights
- Managing stress
- Practicing relaxation techniques (meditation, massage therapy, yoga and stress management counseling)
- Eating healthy
On campus services include:
- Counseling – UNH Counseling Center (603) 862-2090
- Light therapy - Health Services. Make an appointment at (603) 862-3823
- Relaxation techniques - Health Services, (603) 862-3823
- Nutrition Counseling - Health Services, (603) 862-3823
- Medical Care - Health Services, (603) 862-3823
- Educational Resources:
Available at the Health Services Resource Library, www.unh.edu/health-services
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