Healthy UNH Blogger: Sarah Shaw
Skin Protection This Summer While the hottest months of summer may have passed, it is still important to remember to use sunscreen. Many doctors recommend everyday use of sunscreen to protect your skin from sun damage and premature aging. If you walk into any drugstore though, you may find yourself overwhelmed with all of the different types of sunscreen. To help narrow down your choices, here is some information and answers to common questions about sun protection: UVA vs. UVB: There are two... Read More
Resources To Check In On Mental Health Those who have lived on campus can probably agree that getting the notification from the Granite Square Station that a care package has been delivered for you can be incredibly exciting. This is especially exciting if the care package is unexpected. Recently, Psychological & Counseling Services (PACS) has decided to created a care package of their own for Wildcats. This is virtual and is "packed" with fun and helpful resources for all students,... Read More
Eating Pattern Series This week I'm covering an eating pattern that has an interesting history: Mediterranean! Because of this, I've added a history section to share more about this eating pattern. The History: Eating Mediterranean may not be what a lot of people think it is. Unfortunately, it does not exclusively promote eating pizza and pasta and drinking wine. It actually emphasizes eating the way that poorer communities in southern Italy and Greece would have eaten in the early 1960s. Why... Read More
A Guide To Making The Perfect Smoothie With the summer heat, people are looking for all kinds of ways to cool off. Smoothies are a great way to cool off and have a delicious and nutritious snack. Some may find themselves completely overwhelmed at the tought of coming up with something so creative. Fear no more; grab your blender and check out this "101" guide to making the perfect smoothie! Base: Every smoothie needs a "base." This is something that is going to give it that classic smoothie... Read More
Eating Pattern Series This week I will be covering a lesser-known eating pattern, DASH! The Basics: DASH is an acronym for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. In the early 1990s, the National Institute of Health allocated funds for research to see if there were specific eating patterns that could reduce hypertension (blood pressure) and risk of diabetes over time. The original study only changed the eating patterns that subjects followed, leaving other lifestyle factors unchanged such as... Read More
Managing Your Mental Health During the pandemic, many health experts are now concerned about people experiencing "crisis fatigue." When a person experiences a stressful situation, their body goes into fight-or-flight mode, and after the situation has occurred the body calms back down to a more restful state. This year has brought both a global pandemic and a harsh political climate into the United States. With no immediate end in sight, the body has responded to these stressful events but has... Read More
Eating Pattern Series This week we will be covering the plant-based eating pattern! The Basics: The plant-based eating pattern is often confused with vegetarian or vegan, but it is actually quite different. Plant-based does not eliminate meats or animal products, it simply places emphasis on plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes (beans), seeds, and nuts. There is also a limit on highly processed foods that contain added sugars, white flour, and processed oils. In... Read More
Eating Pattern Series This week, I will be covering one of the most popular eating patterns out there: keto! The Basics: In recent years, the eating pattern keto, or ketogenic, has been talked about a lot in mainstream media. There is some confusion though as to what it is exactly. Keto, short for ketogenic, is a style of eating that heavily restricts carbohydrate containing foods and replaces them with foods containing fat. This is not to be mistaken with the “Atkins” style of eating which... Read More
Eating Pattern Series This week we will be exploring a very popular eating pattern known as paleo! The Basics: The eating pattern, paleo, has been widely talked about in mainstream media during the past decade. It was first covered when Crossfit dominated the news cycle and fitness industry. The style of eating relates to Crossfit because it provided a “nutrition guide” for athletes who wanted to train even harder than before. The major focus of paleo is to eat the way our “hunter-gatherers”... Read More
Physically Distancing While Staying Entertained The current COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of summer plans, but we don’t have to let it ruin our summer. There are still some things we can do to interact with small groups of friends from a safe distance, and embrace the sunshine. Check out some of these activities that can get you out of the house and that have a lower risk of spreading COVID-19. Walking at beaches and lakes: Meet up with a friend to walk at the beach or lake in the... Read More

Name: Sarah Shaw
Hometown: Springvale, ME
Major: Nutrition and Wellness
Graduation Year: 2021
What do you do to make a healthy UNH: I am involved in a lot of different orgs on campus! In these orgs, I always try to connect with as many people as I can and remind them about the importance of self-care!
Favorite food: This is something that always changes for me, but as of right now, I'm going to say tacos!
Favorite movie: Captain America
Favorite book: The Power of Kindness by Piero Ferrucci
What place in the world do you most want to visit: I would love to go to Colombia! The food looks amazing, it is a country rich in culture, and they have the best coffee in the world.
Favorite dining hall: Stillings all the way. The variety is amazing, and the vegan bar is phenomenal!
What do you love about UNH: I really love the energy of campus. It always feels so energentic and happy all of the time!
As a Healthy UNH intern, what are you most excited about: I am most excited to share my passion for all dimensions of wellness with other students!