HealthierU ~ October 25, 2006

Announcements
You can't stop time...but you can turn it back one hour! 
Daylight saving time ends this coming Sunday, October 29th at 2:00am, so remember to "fall back" one hour before going to bed Saturday night.  Check out the history of Daylight Saving Time at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_savings_time

Tips for a HealthierU
Aside from getting your flu vaccine, what can you do to reduce the likelihood you will become sick?
Check out these links for tons of ideas at: http://www.wesleyan.edu/weswell/atoz_topics/atoz_cold_flu.html

Want to keep your skin in good condition?
Here are the Top 5 habits for healthy skin from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-care/SN00003

Breaking up ain't easy. But it is a part of being in a relationship.
Learn how you can manage a breakup without it becoming nasty: http://health.discovery.com/centers/loverelationships/dummies/date/dummies_breakup.html

Quote of the Week
"He, who has health, has hope; and he who has hope has everything." ~ Arabian Proverb

Healthy Dose of Info
Is social smoking really all that bad for me?
It may not seem like a lot, but puffing while you party once or twice a week can indeed have negative effects on your health. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology and the British United Provident Association (an independent health care organization) both recently published studies about "casual smoking." Here are some of their findings:

~ People who smoke less than a pack a week seem to have just as much blood vessel damage as those who smoke a pack each day or more. Smoking interferes with the lining of blood vessels and can cause atherosclerosis, a condition in which fat and cholesterol build up on the walls of arteries. Atherosclerosis interferes with healthy circulation and can lead to a heart attack.

~ Men who smoke between six and nine cigarettes each day and women who smoke between three and five double their risk of heart attack. Smoking interferes with estrogen ? an important female hormone that helps regulate cholesterol and maintain a healthy circulatory system ? so the risk for women is higher.

~ Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at a higher risk for serious health problems. Even smoking a few cigarettes a week can increase the likelihood of heart disease, blood clots, stroke, liver cancer, and gallbladder disease.

~ Pregnant women who smoke as few as ten cigarettes or less a day run a higher risk of giving birth to unhealthy babies. Problems can include premature birth, low birth weight, higher chances of the baby having asthma, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

When it comes to smoking and certain health risks, size doesn't seem to matter that much ? even smokers who don't inhale or non-smokers who breathe in second-hand smoke place themselves at increased risk for negative health effects.
~ From Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University's Health Q & A Internet Service ( http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/2573.html)

For more information on Wesleyan's health offices, visit:
WesWELL, the Office of Health Education ~ www.wesleyan.edu/weswell
Health Services ~ www.wesleyan.edu/healthservices
Office of Behavioral Health for Students ~ www.wesleyan.edu/obhs

HealthierU is created and maintained by WesWELL, the Office of Health Education. 
Please direct any feedback or suggestions to Lisa Currie, Director of Health Education, at lcurrie@wesleyan.edu or 685.2466.

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