EAST LANSING, Mich. - A monthly roundup of health news, story ideas and health happenings at Michigan State University.
GETTING READY FOR WINTER
Sure, it's still sunny and 80 degrees outside and weekend trips to the beach or campground are still on the calendar. But the snow will be flying before we know it.
There are a few things we can do to prepare for the upcoming cold months. For example, says MSU physiologist Thomas Adams, simply maintaining good physical condition is a great start.
"Many times people will let their fitness levels decrease because it's too hot in the summer to get outside and exercise," he says. "As the fall weather comes and it starts to get cooler, just getting back into the habit of walking a couple miles each day, or every other day, soon brings back muscle tone and improves physical fitness."
Adams says the exercise needn't be strenuous, but just a little on a regular basis "will make it easier and more comfortable for tolerating the winter."
He also says it's a good idea to make sure your clothes are in repair and clean, as any dirt or oil that has seeped into the fibers could prevent them from providing good insulation.
"Washing and dry-cleaning garments also causes the fibers to fluff, which allows them to trap more air and provide better insulation," he says.
Adams is the author of the book Guidelines for Surviving Heat and Cold.
Contact Adams at (517) 355-6475, Ext. 1216 or adamst@msu.edu.
The coming of the winter also means "shorter" days - days in which the sun barely makes it above the tree line and sets before dinner time.
This can be a difficult time for people who suffer from what's known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD, a malady whose symptoms can range from mild fatigue to full-blown depression.
Jane Rice, coordinator of MSU's Winter Depression Clinic, has some words of wisdom for SAD sufferers: Start your Christmas shopping now!
"It sounds silly, but many of my patients talk about how much it helped to plan ahead and get things done in summer and early fall as a way to alleviate some of the stress and work of the winter months," she says.
Just having an increased awareness of SAD also is helpful. Treatment can be quite simple - it's called light therapy and it involves sitting before a bank of lights for an hour or two every day.
Contact Rice at (517) 432-4944 or rice@msu.edu.
CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION MONTH
September is National Cholesterol Education Month and health professionals are urging us to get our numbers checked.
"The good news is that it's been clinically proven that lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels significantly reduces the risk of ever having a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or angina," says Donald DiPette, an expert on hypertension and chairperson of MSU's Department of Medicine.
Increased cholesterol levels can lead to a condition called atherosclerosis, a narrowing or blockage of the arteries. This, of course, can lead to heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems.
"If your levels are mildly elevated, usually all that's necessary to lower them are a good, low-fat diet and exercise," says DiPette. "There are also new drug therapies that are very effective and have few, if any, side effects."
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans, claiming nearly 1 million lives every year.
Contact DiPette at (517) 353-6625 or donald.dipette@ht.msu.edu; or George Abela, Department of Medicine cardiology section chief, at (517) 353-4832 or abela@msu.edu. (Broadcasters note: DiPette is pronounced de-petty.)
THE "FRESHMAN 15"
It's more of a myth than anything - not on the scale of the "urban legend," but for some new college students equally as scary. When many students make the move from high school to college, it's not unusual for them to gain a little weight, what's sometimes known as the "freshman 15."
Ronda Bokram, a nutritionist at MSU's Olin Health Center, says a little weight gain is not uncommon, but adds it has nothing to do with dorm food.
"When students come here they move into a different situation," she says. "They have a different eating pattern. They socialize differently."
Bokram says it's not uncommon for students to skip breakfast, eat little the rest of the day, and then spend their evening making up for it.
In addition, many students, especially those who were high school athletes, don't exercise nearly as much as they did while in high school.
"It's also important to remember that many of these kids are still growing. They still have some bone density development," Bokram says. "A little weight gain is very normal and appropriate."
Her suggestions: "Eat when you're truly hungry. Stop when you're not. And exercise."
Contact Bokram at (517) 355-7593 or ronda.bokram@ht.msu.edu.
KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY
Back to school also can mean back to colds, sore throats, respiratory infections, flu, and, for some kids, measles and chicken pox. All of these are communicable diseases and, for the most part, preventable.
The first and still best defense against these maladies, says MSU nurse Jeanette Klemczak, is immunization. "Make sure your child's shots are up-to-date," she says.
Next, make sure your kids practice good hygiene.
"Teach and remind children to wash hands before eating, after sneezing and using a tissue, and after using the bathroom," says Klemzcak, who also is director of Clinical Nursing Practice at MSU's College of Nursing.
When it comes to sneezes, she says "BLOW (into a tissue), THROW (away the tissue), and WASH (your hands)."
Klemczak also says it's important to keep your kids home from school if they're sick, as their illness will tend to be shorter and they won't infect other children.
Contact Klemczak at (517) 355-5088 or klemczak@msu.edu. (Klemczak is pronounced klem-check.)
MSU Health Happenings CalendarSeptember 1999
Sept. 7 - Dedication ceremonies will be held for the Nursing Health Care Center, a clinic for mid-Michigan veterans. The clinic is a joint venture of MSU, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Ingham Regional Medical Center (IRMC). The ceremony is at 2 p.m. at the clinic, located at the IRMC Pennsylvania Campus.
Sept. 17 - The Andrew D. Hunt Endowed Lectureship. Speaking is Thomas S. Inui, chairperson of the Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention. Topic: "Appreciating the Sources of Meaning in Medical Practice." 3 p.m. at the Wharton Center's Pasant Theatre.
Sept. 19 - Starting date of "Walk the Big Ten," a new walking incentive program for MSU employees. Offered through Healthy U, MSU's Health Promotion Program.
Sept. 22 - First in a series of classes titled "Yoga for Breast Cancer." Offered through the College of Nursing, the class is designed for women who recently underwent breast cancer surgery.
Sept. 27-Oct. 1 - Primary Care Week. On-campus events to be announced.
For additional information on calendar items, please contact Tom Oswald, University Relations, (517) 432-0920.