Twitter!

So I know I usually blog about fitness and health, but for the purpose of a Public Relations assignment, today I will blog about Twitter.

I was really reluctant to join Twitter because I didn't think I would have anything important to tweet. But, I felt the same way about blogging and now I love it. Today was my first day on Twitter and I have to say: it is so much fun. Not only can I follow really interesting and famous people, I can also stay in contact with my classmates.

Thank you Melanie, for this assignment as well as the blog assignment. I realized that I have been scared of social networking. It took me a while to join Facebook, then blogging, and now Twitter. I learned that I have a lot to say and more importantly that I can learn a lot from other people.

So to all of you other social networking scaredy cats: Its really not that scary! And once you try it you will enjoy it.

To tan or not to tan?

Last week my friend Camille Dupas did a presentation about the tanning controversy going on that stated the radiation from tanning beds is a carcinogen.  Her presentation got me thinking about whether or not I should be tanning indoors. I worked at Fabutan Sun Tan Studios for four years while I was in high school and university. While I was working there I obviously tanned  indoors regularly. 

After I quit working there, my tanning visits became less frequent due to my busy work load in college. But I still went when I could and enjoyed the way a tan made me look and feel. This summer I was tanning outdoors at my boyfriend's cabin when I noticed a mole forming on my arm. When I was in high school I had three surgeries to get "cancerous" moles removed from my neck and leg. So I have always been worried about getting melanoma or some form of skin cancer.

After I noticed the mole this summer, I decided that this was it. I haven't gone tanning inside or outside since. I really do miss it though. I miss the "glow" of my skin and the way it made me feel. I hate that I look so pale and miss the warmth and energy I got from tanning regularly. I have almost gone back to Fabutan many times in the last few months, but have been able to stop myself.

I don't know how much longer I can fight this off, but I have realized that tanning can become an addiction. I have seen many people in my Fabutan days addicted to tanning and vowed to never become one of them. I have tried the lotions, the sprays, and fake tanners but they all streak and fade. I really hope that I can stay away from the tanning bed, but don't know if I will be able to for much longer. This is so funny to me, I'm talking about tanning as if it were a cocaine addiction. But, maybe to me it is?!?!

Stress Relief

Everyday we are confronted with stressful situations that release the stress response in our bodies. The stress response floods your body with chemicals that prepare you for either flight or fight. The stress response is useful in emergency situations, but can wear your body down if it's constantly activated.

To counteract the negative effects of stress, we need to learn how to evoke the relaxation response, which puts us into a state of deep rest. So, here are some ways to relieve your stress and evoke the relaxation response in your body.

Deep Breathing:

Whenever you feel your stress levels rising, go into a quiet place and take a few minutes to breathe deeply and calm your mind. To reach a deep state of relaxation try closing your eyes, breathing in deeply, exhaling slowly, and holding your breathe for a few seconds after you exhale.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation:

To relieve stress, tense and release different muscles groups in your body. Start at your feet and work your way up to your face.

Mindfulness Meditation:

Make time to meditate and quiet your mind for at least 15 minutes a day. When you meditate try to be fully engaged and don't allow your mind to wander. Focus on calming the mind.

Yoga:

If you are experiencing high levels of stress and need a stronger way to relieve your stress try doing yoga. The physical and mental benefits of yoga provide a natural counterbalance to stress as well as strengthening the relaxation response.

Tai Chi:

This is a self-paced, non competitive, slow flowing practice incorporating body movements that emphasize relaxation, calming the mind, and reducing stress.

Effects of Poor Nutrition: 

So why should you care about your health and diet choices? Because poor nutrition effects your health in many ways such as:

·         Cuts back your lifespan by a few years depending on how long you make poor diet choices.

·          Increases the risk of stroke or heart disease.

·          Poisons your liver and kidneys.

·         Causes diabetes

·        Thyroid dysfunction

·         Intestinal problems.

     It also affects your life, poor nutrition can effect or lead to:

·          Weight gain

·         Low self esteem

·        Effects you relationships

·        Bad moods/depression

·         Anxiety and lack of energy.

Did you know that college is bad for your health? Students are often too busy to eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. 

Why is it so challenging for college students to eat healthy?

·          No Time:  Students don’t have time to make healthy meals in between their school, part-time jobs, and homework. So they resort to fast food, unhealthy snacks, and quick fixes.

·         Unhealthy Options: Students are surrounded with cafeteria’s, vending machines, and convenience stores all carrying unhealthy snacks and foods.

·         Exhaustion and stress: Constantly on the go, tired, and stressed-out students rely on high calorie sugary snacks, coffee, and energy drinks to give them a boost.

·         Chaotic schedules: Students don’t have a organized and constant schedule or routine. Every semester your schedule changes on top of that you have to fit in your work schedule, random assignments, social and family events.

Tips and Tricks to improving your diet.

•    Eat a healthy breakfast: it helps concentration and helps you from overeating or       getting cravings for the rest of the day
•   Take multivitamins.
•    Drink plenty of water: Most people mix up thirst for hunger. If you feel hungry and   
•    just ate? It probably means that you are dehydrated so drink water throughout the day.
  
•    Opt for the low-calorie, low fat, and vegetarian options available around campus
  
•   Keep low fat and low calorie snacks in your locker or bag to keep energized throughout     the day and to help you stop your cravings.
  
•   Manage you portion sizes: the fist rule
  
•      Avoid binge drinking: it makes you gain weight.
  
•     Limit late-night pig outs, fast food, and emotional eating.
  
•     Don’t skip meals: so you don’t overcompensate on your next meal.

Symptoms of Stress

My last post was about dealing with stress, but how do you know if you are stressed out? Some people may have mild stress that goes away after a while and other have high ongoing stress. Most people aren't aware that stress can affect people physically, mentally, and emotionally. So here are some symptoms of mild to high stress.

• Feeling overwhelmed, irritable, impatient or pessimistic
• Having trouble waking up in the morning even if you went to sleep early.
• Feeling tired after exercise, instead of energized.
• Feeling too wired to fall asleep.
• Developing allergies, skin rashes, hives, and acne.
• Your body temperature feels off balance such as cold feet and hands, or hot flashes.
• Feeling too tired to do anything involving going out of the house.
• Dark circles under your eyes.
• Gaining weight and craving salty and sugary foods.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms I recommend you to take this Stress Effects Quiz. 

At the end of the quiz you will get a score and a possible diagnosis. If you suspect that you are suffering from high stress, I strongly recommend you to see your doctor and to read my last post on how to deal with stress.

Stress Management

This picture reflects how I feel right now.

It's only October and I already feel like I'm losing my mind. School, work, my I.P.P (Independent Professional Project), and life is causing me a lot of stress. The worst part, is that beyond my fellow students, no one understands or cares. 

My life revolves around waking up, going to school or work, my lunch breaks have turned into homework time, and so have my weekends and evenings. I don't have time for friends, family, or myself.

This has left me cranky, moody, irritable.  My friends outside of school barely talk to me because they don't understand why I can't go out on weekends.  My family rolls their eyes every time I say I don't have time to go to a family function. The worst part is that I feel I really have no one to talk to about this. My boyfriend seems to be the only one who vaguely cares and encourages me to take all the time I need and to do my school work. However, I know he is sooo sick and tired of hearing me complain about my life.

The other day I broke down for the third time this school year and realized that I can't go on like this. I need to learn how to manage my stress before I have a nervous breakdown. So I started to research how to stay calm and relieve stress. This is what I found:

1. Remember to breathe - Take 3 deep breaths it will calm your nerves.

2. Remember that it's not the end of the world- I have to realize that I don't need to get an A on everything, as long as I try and get it in on time that is good enough for me.

3. Try going for a walk - This actually works, it clears your head and relaxes you.

4. Try meditation or yoga - It calms your mind.

5. Remember that there is someone out there that has it way worse than you-  Doing so will put your life in perspective.

I hope that I can learn to follow some of these tips so that I can make it through the year without completely losing my mind.