Healthy UNH Blogger: Ann Steeves
Home town: Merrimack, NH
Major: dual major in Health Management and Policy with concentration in Pubic Health, EcoGastronomy
Graduation year: 2014
What I do to make a Healthy UNH: I stay healthy by utilizing the Swasey pool and the beautiful trails in College Woods. I also strive to spread awareness of the food system and its impact on health with the student organization Get Real!, part of the national Real Food Challenge campaign.
Favorite food: Avocados!
Favorite movie: I like a lot of movies...watched the Hunger Games recently, which was great!
Favorite Book: Guns, Germs, and Steel
What place in the world do you want most to visit?: the Amazon rainforest
Favorite Dining Hall: Philbrook! (bias because I work there!!)
What do you love about UNH? I love all the opportunities that are given to students, the beautiful campus, and the awesome professors in my department!
As a healthy UNH intern, most excited about: Spreading awareness of pressing health issues!
Free Therapy in Nature
By: Ann Steeves
Health cost is an unavoidable topic for the future of the Health Care industry. Mental health care, especially, is often neglected because of the perceived cost of treatment.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, College Woods, deep breathing, Health Cost, Healthy UNH, holistic, Mental Health, Michael Gass, nature, relax, self-reliance, self-respect, UNH Observatory, West Foss farm, Wilderness therapy
Health Cost: Pay your Farmer now, or Pay your Doctor later
By: Ann Steeves
There’s no denying the rising costs of health care in our nation. Health spending has been rising steadily for several years. Americans spend nearly 20% of their income on healthcare costs, while on average spending 10% of their income on food. This disparity affects the health of our nation and must be acknowledged and addressed. Considering the age-old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” may be the first step to attempt to reduce healthcare spending—and the key place to start is food consumption.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, farms, food consumption, Health, health costs, Healthy UNH, prevention
Recent Study Ties Physical Activity to Longer Attention Span
By: Ann Steeves
A recent study out of the University of Granada has linked participating in physical activity with longer attention spans. Better cognitive abilities such as time perception were also higher in physically active participants. It has been generally known that physical activity lends itself to better overall health outcomes, but this study clearly illustrates a strong relationship between physical activity and longer attention spans.
Read moreTagged In: ADD, Ann Steeves, attention, Attention Deficit Disorder, cognitive, Healthy UNH, Obesity, physcial activity, physical education classes, recess, time perception
Study shows link between group singing and mental health
By: Ann Steeves
I’ve always loved to sing. I grew up in a musical family, where we were constantly performing for and with each other. There’s nothing I enjoy more than harmonizing with my siblings. There’s something special about singing in harmony with others—your personal responsibility to hold your own part, while acknowledging others and blending with their voices. It’s an awesome experience to produce a balanced oneness among different voices. It requires practice, patience, and motivation, but the end result is well worth it.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, anxiety, common goal, community singing, harmony, Healthy UNH, Mental Health, singing, social capital, wellbeing
Yoga and Mental Health
By: Ann Steeves
I’ve always loved stretching and meditating. I can attribute this practice to my mom, who teaches Hatha yoga. Growing up, stretching was a part of my daily life. If I were stressed, I would do some stretches and deep breathing to try to calm down. This practice has followed me to college and has helped me calm down many times when overwhelmed with academic and personal commitments. I usually have practiced on my own, but have recently started taking yoga classes downtown at Three Bridges Yoga .
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, anxiety, breathing, Depression, Healthy UNH, meditating, Mental Health, Stress, stretching, Yoga
“Eat More Kale”—the Superfood behind the slogan
By: Ann Steeves
You’ve probably seen the merch around campus: stickers, t-shirts, buttons and more with the “eat more kale” slogan stamped on the center. You may have even heard of the lawsuit last year when Chick-fil-A insisted the kale slogan was too similar to their “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign (lest people start eating kale instead of chicken!). The hearty green has received a lot of attention over the past few years. It’s one of my favorite foods, and I encourage everyone to make it part of their diet.
Read moreTagged In: Annie Steeves, antioxidants, calcium, cheesy kale, Eat More Kale, fiber, Healthy UNH, iron, kale, Nutrition, protein, recipe, spinach, vitamin C
HMP 5K
By: Ann Steeves
The University of New Hampshire’s Department of Health Management and Policy prepares undergraduates to become leading health professionals in the ever-expanding Health Care Industry. Through this department, students get exposed to many aspects of health care, including data analysis, finance management, epidemiology, ethics, and policy. A reoccurring theme throughout the Department’s courses is health promotion.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, College Woods, Department of Health Management and Policy, Exercise, Fitness, Healthy UNH, HMP 5K, off-road run, run, SOHL, Student Organization for Health Leadership, UNH programs, Wildcat 5K
Providing a Safe Environment for Children at School
By: Ann Steeves
This week is National Public Health Week, an annual celebration of public health sponsored by the American Public Health Association (APHA). Today’s theme is “Providing a Safe Environment for Children at School”. Children spend 180 days in school every year. The lessons and habits children gain during this time influence the rest of their lives. Our nation’s children develop eating habits through the National School Lunch program, which feeds more than 31 million children each day.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, Healhty UNH, National Kick Butts Day, National Public Health Week, National School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch program, Nutrition, Obesity, petition, safe environment, school, students, tobacco, tobacco-free campus
Talking about Mental Health
By: Ann Steeves
More than one in four adults over 18 years of age in the U.S. suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml). Individuals struggling with mental illnesses often feel stigmatized or too embarrassed to share their personal struggles with friends or family members.
Read moreTagged In: Ann Steeves, Healthy UNH, Mental Health
Nutritious and Delicious—Alternatives to Easter Candy
By: Ann Steeves
Easter is right around the corner, which means it is time for Easter Basket creation. Children love receiving Easter Baskets, and many families celebrate it as a tradition for Easter morning. Easter treats can still be enjoyed, but try to look beyond the stocked shelves of Peeps and Chocolate Bunnies this year and consider healthy alternatives to usual Easter candy. One Cadbury Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny, a popular Easter treat, contains 890 calories, and 48.6 grams of fat!
Read moreTagged In: Alternative candy, Ann Steeves, chocolate, Easter, Healthy UNH, Nutrition, sugar
