Healthy UNH Blogger: Summer Johnson
Learn How Learning How To Lift Weights Can Benefit Your Health! Are you looking for something new in your workout, or do you simply want to get into a fitness routine? Weight training is the new rage in fitness and is a different way to get your sweat on! Lifting weights has shown to have numerous benefits to your health and wellness. According to the Better Health Channel, muscle growth through weight training improves: Metabolism: Increased metabolism promotes fat loss. Bone strength: ... Read More
Why You Should Choose Generic Drugs When you go to purchase over the counter medication, we all have faced the problem of do we buy the brand name or the generic version? People tend to be more inclined to purchase the nicely designed boxes of brand name drugs, as opposed to the relatively plain boxes of generic. There are a lot of misconceptions associated with generic drugs: Lack of quality. However, generic drugs are exactly the same as their brand name counterparts. Effectiveness. Generic... Read More
Take A Walk Outside To Better Your Mental State Humans have become increasingly urbanized and according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, “urbanization is associated with increased levels of mental illness”. In order to combat this, people are looking towards nature. In various surveys, people self-reported that they had decreased feelings of stress, anxiety and depression after exposure to nature. Through research by Dr. Gregory Bratman of... Read More
How Endurance is Linked to A Longer Life A recent study by the Cleveland Clinic showed that there is a correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and longevity of life. Generally, most people know that working out and being fit is good for your health, but now there is measurable evidence showing the correlation between high levels of fitness and reduced risks of mortality. They found that this was true across all levels of fitness. Those with the lowest fitness were more likely to die... Read More
How Much Water Should You Really Be Drinking? Water consumption is tricky. It makes up the majority of your body weight so, it is important to stay on top of your water intake. It varies from person to person and is dependent on a variety of factors. How much water you need to drink will depend on how much you exercise, your health, and your living environment. Here are a few ways that water helps your body function: Water flushes out waste from the body Keeps skin, eyes, nose, and mouth... Read More
How To Take A Break From Electronics In this day and age, most of us are attached to our phones. Our phones sometimes feel like our livelihood, and it can be hard to separate from it. According to Inc.com, there are a variety of ways that your phone could be affecting your health. Long screen time affects your sleep. Social media apps reduce feelings of well-being. A phone reduces your ability to focus on tasks. To help improve your health, try out these different methods to distances yourself... Read More
How Walking Every Day Is Beneficial To Your Health and Wellness Walking is an extremely effective activity for your wellness. The former director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas Frieden, called walking “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug”. Walking boasts a variety of benefits that could positively impact your health. According to Harvard health researchers, walking briskly for an hour everyday cuts the effects of obesity-promoting genes. Walking for a... Read More
Fathers Who Are Fit Have Healthier Children Did you know hitting the gym or going on that run can influence your child’s health, even prior to conception? In a recent study led by Kristin Stanford, a researcher at The Ohio State University College of Medicine says, “paternal exercise had a significant impact on the metabolic health of offspring well into their adulthood” (ScienceDaily 2018). The team of researchers found that exercise can change your genetic expression that transfers to... Read More
Do you know that the United States spent a record high of $3.4 trillion on health care in 2016? According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we have one of the highest healthcare prices per person in the world, around $10,348 and yet in comparison to other developed nations, we have some of the lowest health outcomes. 31stfor life expectancy 1stfor deaths from preventable diseases 13thfor health coverage All these rankings are in comparison to other high-income countries, who... Read More
Are you a pet lover and need a mental break? Paws and Relax offered by Health and Wellness at the University of New Hampshire, is your chance to hang out with a sweet, fluffy dog to help relieve some stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, pet therapy can help to reduce pain or anxiety for people with a range of health issues. Animals have been used in a variety of settings to help to ease patient, student or others feelings of pain or anxiety. The action of petting animals is known to have... Read More

Name: Summer Johnson
Hometown: Bedford, NH
Major: Health Management and Policy
Graduation Year: 2020
What Do You Do To Make a Healthy UNH?: I am a member of the UNH Women's Rowing Team
Favorite Food: Hummus or pizza
Favorite Movie: The Simpsons Movie
Favorite Book: The Posionwood Bible
What Place in the world would you most want to visit and why?: New Zealand to see Hobbiton
Favorite Dining Hall and why: Hoco because of the scrambles
What do you love about UNH?: The community
As a Healthy UNH Intern, what are you most excited about?: To be able to promote overall public health and wellness