The Beach Health Blog

1.        Take effective notes Learning what notetaking style works best for you will ensure that you’re able to retain the information you’re writing down. Whether it’s bullet points, drawing diagrams, or using your tablet, figure out what method works best for you. 2.       Study methods that work for you Once you’ve mastered your note taking skills, understanding your learning style will help you with your studying. Educationplanner.org offers a learning style quiz that can help you figure out which studying style will help you best retain information. 3.       Pay attention to the syllabus Most professors design their syllabus to be a one stop shop for FAQs, scheduling questions, grade calculations, etc. Make sure you read the syllabus at the beginning of the year, and refer back to it before asking your professor any questions. 4.       CSULB Tutoring CSULB offer...

            Sex; we’ll discuss it openly with friends, watch it depicted on television, and read countless articles about it. In fact, we’ll often discuss it with just about anyone except the people that matter most: our partners. Let’s be honest; talking openly about sex can be a bit awkward and quite stressful. With such a sensitive subject matter, we often fear rejection and embarrassment. Despite this, those tough conversations are most definitely worth having as they can ultimately lead to much more rewarding and pleasurable sexual experiences for both you and your partner.             Talking about sex can seem like a very daunting task. Making a discussion out of something that television and media constantly depicts as spontaneous and passion-fueled can seem unnecessary. In the real world, however, individual desires and boundaries can be more difficult to deciphe...

All of us desire to get fit at some point in our life, but not all of us want to join a gym or a health club. Many of us cannot afford a gym membership or perhaps there’s no gym close by; or maybe even you have a gym membership, but are too busy to go; or maybe you’re simply independent in regards to your health and exercise. Including all of these reasons and maybe others, you might feel that working out at home is the best option for you. It does not take much effort or money to design an effective workout program at home. There are various inexpensive pieces of equipment you can use to create an exercise routine that works on all the major muscle groups in our body. For example, you can use fit balls, exercise bands, dumbbells, or push-up bars to create an exercise routine at home. These can be bought low cost on line or at some stores, like Big 5, Big Lots or Target.  There are five components of fitness/exercise: Warm up A warm-up can include a simple walk...

What are mindfulness and meditation? According to Mindful.org, mindfulness refers to when “the mind is fully attending to what’s happening, to what you’re doing, to the space you’re moving through.” Instead of just floating through your day, mindfulness aims to make your conscious of every action and reaction you have. Yoga International defines meditation as “the technique employed to focus the brain, and reach higher levels of consciousness.” Mindfulness meditation is a centuries old practice that dates back to ancient India. So why have people continued this practice for so long? Below, we’ll take a look at just a few of the many benefits of mindfulness meditation! Reduce Stress and Anxiety Countless studies have shown that focusing on breathing and clearing the mind lower the amounts of cortisol (the hormone related to stress) that is found in your brain. This calming effect can be felt within minutes, so setting aside even five minutes to meditate each day can b...

If you think you don’t like Brussel sprouts, think again! This recipe for crispy, savory Brussel sprouts will be sure to leave you wanting more. Although the ingredients may look deceptively simple, this very healthy side is packed with delicious flavor. Follow these directions carefully and the effort will be worth it! Ingredients: ·        1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed ·        3 tablespoons olive oil ·        1 teaspoon salt ·        1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack. Roast in the preheated oven for ...

If you’ve ever felt your heart pound prior to a big presentation or your face warm after saying something embarrassing, then you’re already familiar with how powerful that thoughts can be on the body. The “nocebo” effect (“I will harm”) and the “placebo” effect (“I will please”) have been regarded as such powerful forces that credible scientific research often require control groups to rule out results that may have been altered by them. Studies have shown time and time again that the effects of the mind over our bodies are profound. So the question arises; what implications does this have on our health? When thinking negative thoughts, we can cause our bodies to release chemical signals that do harm. In a 1997 study conducted by neurophysiologist Fabrizio Bendetti, consenting patients were injected with normal saline but told that it was a pain-triggering medication. Some of those patients also received anti-anxiety drugs to block negative thoughts. Only the group that did ...

Most college students have this idea that sleep is not an essential aspect of their lives. However, late night partying, pulling all night study sessions, and drinking caffeinated drinks are what is expected to survive and succeed in the college world. As a result, students do not sleep well even when they try. This is usually because of sleeping way too long or not being able to sleep at all. What students need to know is that the lack of sleep really affects how they function in life. Having that adequate 7-9 hours each night can greatly improve health, test scores, and overall life. Here are three ways to improve sleep health: 1.  No Caffeine before Bed Caffeine is a well-known stimulant and the number one source college student use to stay awake. Caffeine can last in the body for up to 6 hours. The most well-known caffeine stimulant is coffee. In order to have better night’s sleep, one would have to cut off the coffee sometime in the mid-afternoon. How would a college ...

Many people have the desire to lose weight. Many of those who exercise simply do so for the purpose of losing weight. But the question is… Does your weight determine your health? Does being “thin” = “healthy” and being “fat” = “unhealthy”? Are you considered “overweight” or “obese” according to your BMI? Have you been on a restrictive diet because someone in your life has told you to lose weight? There is a new approach to health called Health at Every Size (HAES) that honors genetic diversity and promotes healthy lifestyles for each individual.   HAES promotes specific principles that lead to improved and lasting health for people of all shapes and sizes. Society perceives health as achieving an “ideal” weight and size. However, many of us do not fit within society’s definition of health. Many of us beat ourselves up for not being able to achieve that “ideal” weight and size projected through media, society, or culture.   We can’t assume that someone is “overwe...

“And If I asked you to name all the things that you love, how long would it take for you to name yourself?” Unknown. One of the toughest parts of learning to love yourself is understanding the reasons why. We may think to ourselves “Why do I need to acknowledge I need to love myself to begin with?” or “If there are so many great things to love and admire then why does it not come naturally?” Self-love takes practice. It is a skill that we learn to develop and embrace on a daily basis. There will be good days, and not so good days with relapses, and that’s okay. The goal is progress not perfection.  There truly is no perfect way to begin, but here are some steps to start: 1. Understand and believe you are worthy You are worthy, you are beautiful, you have potential, you have what it takes. It is okay to have confidence, as a matter of fact, you should!  Once you begin noticing all the reasons that make you great and unique, you will understand your worth...

Midterm season is upon us and tensions are high. With coffee in one hand and an overfilled planner in the other, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the endless list of tasks that must be completed. This high-stress storm is the perfect environment to soften students to the seductive idea of using study drugs. A study conducted by the Center on Young Adult Health and Development indicated that nearly a third of college-aged students admitted to having used study drugs without a prescription, the presence of their use on college campuses is apparent. Despite the numbers, however, studies have surfaced that raise questions about whether or not these drugs are actually helpful. For individuals diagnosed with an attention disorder, prescription stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall increase the ability of users to concentrate. These substances work by increasing the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Research has indicated that individuals with attention disorder...

We’ve all heard of the notorious freshman 15 prior to college. Whether we’ve heard it through jokes with our peers or through movies and other media, it is a phenomenon that has been undeniably acknowledged by our culture. So the question arises; is the freshman 15 a true experience or is it simply a fictitious claim? One wide-scale study conducted at Ohio State University made an attempt to put this question to the test. Researchers monitored 7,417 young people as they transitioned to their first year at the university. After the data were collected and analyzed, it was clear that although a solid trend in weight gain was observed, the 15 pound aspect was a gross over exaggeration. In fact, the actual figure was closer to three pounds 1 . Although it would be fair to consider the “freshman 15” to be a myth based on this study, it is important to note that a three pound weight gain over the course of a year is still 6x higher than that of the general population. The very existence of ...

Sex and a person’s overall health are interconnected. Attraction and sexual attraction, to be specific, is a natural desire. Being sexually aware, safe, and healthy can improve an individual's sex life. So, what does it mean to be sexually healthy? Here are five ways to improve your sexual health! 1. STI Awareness Communication is Key Be Comfortable with Self (Body Image) Become More Informed About Sex Live a Healthy Lifestyle By Devante Lindsey Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can be damaging to one’s health if left untreated or not prevented. Most STIs are easily transmitted. Talking to your partner about STI testing and how they care for themselves sexually helps you get to know your partner. If you choose to have sex with someone there are different ways to protect yourself, such as the external (male) and internal (female) condoms. They are easy to use and easily accessible. Never use both at same time though! Directions for External Condoms: 1. Chec...

With the end of the fifth week of school and midterms coming our way, we know that our stress levels are increasing. Student Health Services understands that balancing multiple back to back classes, along with work and family relationships, is becoming overwhelming. In order to relieve some of the stress that is piling on our students, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Program at the Health Resource Center hosted the Art and Soul Fair at the Speakers Platform on Thursday, September 27, 2017 from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Those of you who missed this amazing opportunity to de-stress need not to worry because Art and Soul Fair comes around to relieve some stress off students each semester. Each semester, the ATOD Program invites all students to take a break from their daily school life for an hour or two and try to connect with their creative side. Additionally, the event provides an opportunity to learn more about the various resources offered through the ATOD Program. T...

Have you ever been concerned about or seen a situation where you wanted to help, but didn’t know how? Here are some tips on how someone can be a PAUSEitive bystander and help prevent an unsafe situation from happening! First off, what does the PAUSE in PAUSEitive bystander stand for? And what do they do? PAUSE is a bystander intervention program and it stands for Prevention Awareness Uniting Students with Empowerment! The PAUSE program teaches students the importance of intervening when someone might be in need of help by recognizing potentially harmful situations. PAUSE teaches the necessary skills and knowledge to communicate with others ways to remove a person from a dangerous situation. So here are three steps to follow a plan of action! 1. SEE Observing the behavior/ incident before you can help 2. THINK Is this violence?   Is it safe to do something?   What technique can I use? 3. ACT Carry out an intervention technique from the 3 D’s known ...