on Wellness

ISSUEIN THIS

May 2009 | Vol . 5 No. 3 Ser v ing the BYU–Idaho communit y

May 2009 | on Wel lness 1

S p i r i t u a l S o c i a l P hy s i c a l E m o t i o n a l I n t e l l e c t u a l

The raw foods diet has been around since the 1900s but today is increasingly popular

in the U.K., Australia and the Western U.S., especially California. This diet consists of eating uncooked and unprocessed foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, grains, nuts and dried fruits. Those food choices may not sound appealing at first, but the concept behind the diet is proving to be sound.

Proponents point to the natural nutrition of “live” foods--foods which are fresh and uncooked. According to Alissa Cohen, author of Living on Live Food, “When you eat a raw and living food diet you are feeding your body and your cells live foods filled with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other life giving substances that cooking destroys.”

Raw foodists claim the diet has several health benefits. Simply stated, they say eating naturally healthy foods makes the body naturally healthy. They report increased energy, weight loss, improved skin appearance and reduced risk of serious diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Most people who start this diet do experience some discomfort initially while

Go Fresh This SummerFree Health Care?!

Anorexia and Stress Thymes and Seasons

Food for Thought

Spiritual Framework

Cleansing Fast

Cell Phone Etiquette

Anger Management

Deaf by iPod

their bodies go through a detoxification process. Afterwards, they feel healthier.

Although raw foods give you most of the nutrients your body needs, they may be deficient in calcium, iron and protein. Depending on your specific food choices, you might have to supplement your diet with additional foods.

Angela Stokes, a raw foodist who lost over 150 pounds, says, “I recommend people start out being at least 50 percent raw and go from there. Maybe it ends up at some point you are completely raw, maybe not. As long as the majority of the stuff or at least 50 percent is fresh raw food . . . then you’re tipping the balance in your favor.”

To the familiar advice, “Eat your fruits and vegetables,” raw foodists add, “Eat them raw.” And although going completely raw may not be embraced by most, you would do well to include more fresh foods in your diet.

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2 May 2009

Free Healthcare?!

Five Reasons to Use the Wellness Center

Note:If you’re planning on participating in the DMBA program to earn up to $100 back on your premium, visit http://www.dmba.com/wellness/wellness.asp.

The BYU–Idaho Wellness Center promotes health and wellness among the entire BYU–Idaho community through preventive, therapeutic, health care services and incentive programs.

BYU-Idaho Wellness Center

Contact InformationLocation: Hart 152Phone: 208.496.3046Email: wellness@byui.eduVisit us online at www.byui.edu/campuswellness

FREE Personal Nutrition Plans

FREE Fitness Classes

Did we mention it’s all FREE?54321

Anorexia and StressCollege students have a lot to deal with:

living away from home, making new friends, being independent, holding a part-time or full-time job. That’s in addition to the stress of college academics. Frequently, students attempt to escape stress and anxiety by turning their attention to their physical appearance and eating patterns. But when that attention becomes an obsession, they may develop anorexia. The focus on food replaces social, educational and religious responsibilities, and that abnormal focus can portend anorexia.

oxygen is transported through your body), flexibility, muscular strength and endurance. You may also choose to take only some of the tests. Remember, it’s all free.

The only service that costs money is an extensive blood test. You must pay $15, but that is a small fee compared to the $54 charge for the same service at the Student Health Center.

In addition to the Wellness Center, the Fitness Center, commonly called “the gym,” also offers many free services. The resources at the Fitness Center are also underused.

FREE Health Tests

FREE Fitness Consultations (personal training)

According to the mission statement of the Wellness Center, located on the bottom

floor of the Hart building, “[The Wellness Center] is dedicated to providing a variety of health and fitness assessments and educational services to all members of the BYU–Idaho campus community.” Currently the Wellness Center offers a variety of free services that normally cost quite a bit, but this amazing resource remains underutilized.

First, the Wellness Center conducts nutritional analyses, where trained BYU–Idaho students help you track your current diet and develop a nutritional plan to get you in shape.

Then they follow up on the plan, mentoring you step by step as you set goals for weight loss or weight gain. To help motivate you to follow your plan, they schedule weekly visits, where they coach you on keeping your goals. They also offer an incentive program. Last semester, the person who best achieved their wellness goal won a new mountain bike.

Second, the Wellness Center offers free fitness assessments. You can do a full assessment consisting of the following tests: resting heart rate, blood pressure, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, body composition (body fat), V02 Sub Max (a test to see how well

Aside from the pool, gymnasium and fitness equipment, there are thirty-three free fitness classes each week. A few of these classes include aerobics (standard and water), yoga, kickboxing and cycling.

There are also numerous fitness consultants—students who meet with you one-on-one to help you create personal fitness programs and train you how to correctly execute them. It’s like having a personal trainer, but you don’t have to pay them.

Lisa Robison, BYU–Idaho activities advisor, says, “There is a place for everyone at the Fitness Center. This is meant to be a non-intimidating environment.” She explains that this generation of students is the generation that needs to learn to stay healthy. She also claims parents can pass good exercise habits on to their kids and help correct the growing problem of obesity. “Statistics show that if parents are active, their kids will be active.”

The bottom line is the Wellness and Fitness centers offer students a variety of free services to get in shape. So develop good fitness habits now while it is easy and free.

Colleen Thompson suggests that college students turn to anorexia for a variety of reasons that have more to do with stress than low self-esteem. She writes, “If someone is having trouble in their courses and not getting the marks they [want] or [expect] to, they might also develop anorexia.”

Thompson also says, “When the pressures get to be too much, some [college students] may turn to anorexia as a way to block out what is happening.

If they spend all their time focusing on calories and their weight, they don’t have

time to think about anything else.” Anorexia becomes a means of escape.

To avoid the threat of anorexia, find constructive means to relieve pressure and stress. Do homework earlier rather than later. Unload frustrations by opening up to roommates and friends. Find an opportunity for service. Exercise to release endorphins. It’s not important how many calories you burn, but that you’re out moving instead of sitting and brooding. In short, it’s all about positive outlets for stress.

Thymes and seasons Keep your family healthy and satisfied with these recipes.

Fresh BurritoSummer Fruit Salsa Gazpacho Soup

on Wel lness 3

3/4 cup strawberries, diced1 orange, cut into segments1 peach, cut into small pieces1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped1/4 cup onion, diced1/2 jalapeno, deseeded, minced1 tbsp lime juicedash salt and pepper

Toss together all ingredients, and allow to marinate for at least one hour before serving.

Note: Summer Fruit Salsa is great on tortilla chips or sprinkled over salad greens.

1 cucumber, sliced into chunks4 large ripe tomatoes1/2 bell pepper, any color2 cloves garlic1 celery rib, chopped1 tbsp lemon juice1/2 sweet onion, quartered3 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar1/2 tsp saltdash black pepper1 tsp chopped fresh parsley1 tsp chopped fresh basil1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Simply combine all the ingredients, except the fresh herbs, in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Stir in the herbs, refrigerate until cool, and serve with bread.

2 very ripe avocados3 tomatoes, diced1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced2 tbsp yellow onion, diced3 cloves fresh garlic, minced1/4 cup fresh cilantro, choppedkernels from one ear raw corn2 tsp fresh lime juice6-8 large lettuce leaves

In a medium sized bowl, mash the avocado. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed.

Scoop some of this mixture onto a lettuce leaf, and fold lettuce around filling, burrito-style.

Food for ThoughtYou’ve done everything to prepare for

tomorrow’s exam. You read your textbook, studied important terms and memorized facts, but what about your diet? Is that leftover pizza snack at midnight going to help or hurt your preparation?

In truth, it’s probably not the best idea. Avoiding extremes in your diet and eating small healthy snacks every three to four hours improves your ability to function mentally.

One major interference to active mental health is a lack of carbohydrates, or grains, usually caused by low-carb diets. In a study testing the effects of carbohydrates on mental ability, researchers measured the memory recall ability of women before and after beginning a low-carb diet. After just one week on the low-carb diet, the women showed impaired memory function.

When carbohydrates were re-introduced into the diet, the women’s mental ability returned to normal, showing that eating the right amount of carbs helps your brain function effectively.

However, a diet consisting of too many poor carbohydrates and high levels of saturated fats will also hinder mental ability. Examples of these kinds of foods are white and refined breads, fried foods, sugary sweets and sodas.

The problem with these foods is they are filled with a poor quality glucose and sugar.

When the consumption of these foods is too high, the body begins to shut down in order to process them, creating a “post-food” crash.

The result is then a drop in energy, focus and mental performance. This post-food crash can also be the cause of irritability and exhaustion.

There are a few things you can do to keep yourself from suffering these sleepy consequences.

Try switching to a diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods will provide you with plenty of good glucose and give you sustained energy throughout the day.

You may also try eating four or five smaller meals or snacks throughout the day or about every three to four hours. This will provide your body with a steady supply of healthy glucose, keeping your energy and mental

ability high. By choosing foods with good glucose and by

eating small, frequent snacks, your mind will be more alert, and you’ll be much more prepared to take that exam.

Spiritual Framework

4 May 2009

• Focus on what you want. Having a vision makes the work easier.

• Make a list of the benefits of your new goal. • Commit to the goal. If you want to change, you have to work at it.

• Set your own goals and reward yourself. Write the goals down, and post them all around—in your kitchen, bedroom, office, even the bathroom if necessary.

• Start slowly.

• Go for consistency rather than jolts of effort.

• Involve a friend; it’s what they’re there for.

AccomplishingNew Goals

At the end of the day, it’s all too common to look at your “to-do” list and see too few

projects crossed off. Life over-crowds, over-programs and

overwhelms. In a question and answer session with President Kim Clark, one student asked, “Looking back on your life and the many time constraints you had, what is one thing you did to help you become what you are today?” His response: “Build a framework.”

President Clark then explained that building a framework means scheduling in the most important things first, so they don’t get crowded out by other, less important activities.

To incorporate the most important things, schedule them at a specific and consistent time. Then the other demands in life will either fit into their appropriate places in that framework, or fall away altogether.

For example, if it is important to you to read scriptures daily, build into your schedule a consistent time to do this. If you want to go to the temple weekly, establish a set time. Then, when the inevitable demands on time set in, you are guaranteed to accomplish the most important things because they are already scheduled into your day.

How is your framework? Do you find yourself at the end of the day wishing you had read your scriptures or taken time to exercise? It takes self-discipline and control to build these types of goals into your schedule, but the rewards are worth it, and your life will feel more balanced.

Fasting is an essential principle in LDS society. Members are counseled that fasting

can help them “wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith” (Helaman 3:35). Although the reasons for fasting are primarily spiritual, fasting also has numerous health benefits. One of the most desirable is detoxification.

Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph glands and

skin. Most toxins are processed for elimination in the liver, which removes impurities from the blood.

Most people are not aware of how many toxins are in their bodies. Nor are they aware that toxins leave you feeling tired and sluggish.

Fasting can help your body rid itself of toxins. According to writer Will Carroll, who conducted an in-depth study of the physical benefits of fasting, “[Detoxification] is precipitated by fasting. When food is no longer entering the body, the body turns to fat reserves for energy.”

Carroll continues, “When the fat reserves are used for energy during a fast, it releases

the chemicals from the fatty acids into the system which are then eliminated through the aforementioned organs.”

Consequently, burning fats also burns out harmful toxins. James Dillard, MD and assistant clinical professor at Columbia, puts it simply: “When fat is mobilized, anything that is fat-soluble should be mobilized, too.”

Detoxification also occurs during fasting because your body is not expending energy to digest food; therefore, that energy is diverted

Did you know . . .

?Diet and exercise are often promoted as the mainstays of health. But according to a new study in the American Journal of Health Behavior, that formula may be missing a key component. When researchers surveyed 3,032 American adults on their health behaviors and lifestyle, they found evidence suggesting that social activities were a significant part of overall health. In fact, the researchers noted that frequent contact with friends and weekly church attendance had comparable effects to regular moderate exercise. The researchers maintain that exercise is still an important component of staying healthy, but they stress that staying socially connected holds significant promise too.”Source: Today’s Health & Wellness, July/August 2004.

away from the digestive system and into your organs that carry out the detoxification process.

Detoxification through fasting doesn’t typically begin until after the first 12-24 hours of a fast. It is then that the body begins turning to carbohydrate or fat stores for energy.

So, when your stomach growls after several hours of fasting, think of the cleansing to your body, as well as your spirit, taking place during your fast. Ridding your body of harmful toxins will in the end leave you energized.

Cleansing Fast

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Cell Phone Etiquette

When the first cell phone came out in 1984, it was a novelty item. The

DynaTAC8000X, commonly referred to as “the brick,” weighed two pounds, held a half-hour charge and sold for nearly $4,000. These “bricks” were large and bulky and hardly made for continual use.

As technology and society have advanced and cell phones have become more compact, most people feel they cannot go anywhere without this link to the world. Cell phones have gone from being a novelty to being a necessity.

But along with high-tech cell phones have come some problems, most noticeably in phone etiquette.

Too many cell phone users think only of their own convenience when phoning a friend and forget that good manners require consideration of everyone involved in a situation.

For example, because cell phones are so mobile, many people try to multi-task while talking on the phone. You need to fold clothes, so you phone a friend to pass the time while you fold.

But the person you call could be doing practically anything, and in case that person is

Some cell phone users speak either too loudly or too personally in public. When you receive a call, ask yourself before answering if you will disturb someone else by taking the call. And always maintain your cool during public phone conversations.

Jacqueline Whitmore, a leading etiquette expert, suggests completely ignoring calls (or even turning off your phone) during meetings and keeping private conversations to private locations.

For some cell phone junkies, one conversation at a time just isn’t enough. They use call waiting to jump back and forth between phone calls, making the people on the other end wait to continue the conversation. Carducci recommends that you ignore call waiting while talking to another person. “I believe that if you reached me by phone, you got there first, and I owe you a complete call,” he says.

Because cell phones can be used virtually anywhere, phone calls now often involve the caller, the receiver, and any surrounding people within earshot. So next time you flip that phone open to make or receive a call, remember to be courteous to all concerned.

Someone once said, “Anger is one letter short of danger.” Whether

you boil with rage or just occasionally lose your cool, you may react to angry feelings in hundreds of ways, many of which get you into trouble. It is important to understand how to deal with angry emotions and learn to control anger before it controls you.

Charles Spielberger, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger, says there are three main ways to deal with anger: suppressing it, calming it and expressing it.

Suppressing anger is when you hold in your irritation. Susan Aldridge, a medical journalist, says synonyms for suppressing anger are “hiding,” “concealing,” or “burying” it. All those words suggest the anger still exists, so suppressing is not a good way to deal with anger. Continually holding in anger can lead to other health problems like high blood pressure or depression.

Calming, a more positive response to anger, is the ability to control your internal responses,

Anger ManagementWays to Control Anger

letting your anger subside by relaxing. Breathe deeply, visualize a relaxing experience, and replace angry thoughts with logical, rational ones.

Expressing angry feelings is the best way to control anger, but expression doesn’t mean flying off the handle. You should be assertive but not aggressive. Talk to the person who made you angry and express the feelings you are having, resolving any issues. When you express anger in a calm and unaggressive way, you can maintain healthy relationships, and you’ll be happier and more anger-free.

So next time you feel the heat start to rise, remember to breathe, relax, and avoid the danger of anger by expressing your anger in healthy ways.

busy, you should give them the opportunity to call back at a later time. Dr. Ron Carducci, in his article “Friendship and Phone Etiquette,” writes, “When a friend answers the phone in response to your call, remember to first identify yourself and ask about your timing.”

• Take a time out or count to ten.

• Do something physically exerting. • Find ways to calm and soothe yourself. • Express your anger once you’ve calmed down.

• Think carefully before you say anything.

• Don’t hold a grudge—forgive the other person.

• Use humor.

• Practice relaxation skills.

Faculty Advisors: Joshua Allen, Kelly EvansResearch: Logan Dunn, Matthew Hartvigsen, Daisy Hegstrom, David J. Hoover, Melissa Miklich, Kimberly Olson, Keri Tew, Kristi WalkerWriting/Editing/Layout: Matt Anderson, Logan Dunn, Rilie Fry, Matthew Hartvigsen, Meridith Jackman, Keri Tew

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BYU-Idaho on Wellness is a student project produced in cooperation with the BYU–Idaho Wellness Committee and the Departments of Health Science and English. For sources, subscriptions or other information, contact Leon Anderson at 208.496.1958. You can also find us online at www.byui.edu/CampusWellness.

6 May 2009 | on Wel lness

Mini MP3 players and iPods offer the continuous opportunity to block out

unwanted noise and replace it with other sounds. You may love to listen to music, news or books. But as you increase your use of portable listening devices, make sure you keep your ears healthy.

Inside the ear are tiny hair cells that react to sound waves. These vibrating cells create nerve signals sent directly to the brain. “Loud sounds damage these hair cells and cause sensory hearing loss,” according to the University of Iowa Health Care.

Christine Albertus, audiologist at Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin, says, “In most young people some damage is already there, but it doesn’t directly affect their ability to communicate with friends or family. . . . Fast forward, and they may be hearing aid candidates by the time they’re in their early 40s.”

You can damage your hearing by cranking up your MP3 volume to mask other noises such as traffic, construction or household appliances. And constant exposure to sound can create hearing loss too, even when the decibel level is not excessive. According to the University of

Deaf by iPod Iowa, “The longer the duration of the sound, the less loud a sound has to be to damage the ear.”

Fortunately, there are a few easy changes you can make that will allow you to listen to your music or books while still maintaining healthy hearing.

First, Randy Wholers, founder of hearing aid company HearPod Inc., suggests limiting your earphone listening time to sixty minutes a day or substituting stereo music for the MP3 player while at home.

Second, keep your MP3 player volume under sixty decibels (about two-thirds of the

maximum volume). Apple even provides an iPod update that lets you set your own maximum volume so you don’t exceed your desired decibel limit.

Third, if nothing else, wear sound-isolating or noise-canceling earphones that fit over your ears, rather than the ear buds that fit inside your ears. In-the-ear buds prompt the user to boost up the volume to block out any external noise.

Good hearing can be life long. Just remember—limit your listening time, lower the volume and change your headphones.