Category: Health and Wellness

A Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” With the MSU Breathe Easy: Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation Program, starting the journey to becoming nicotine free doesn’t have to be done alone.

The MSU Breathe Easy: Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation program (formerly known as the Smoking Cessation Program) sponsored by Human Resources, Olin Health Center Pharmacy Services and Health4U began in January 2008. The program assists participants in eliminating any nicotine addiction through behavior support sessions, with or without the use of prescription medications. Items the program focuses on include: cigarettes, cigars, patches and e-cigarettes.

“Removing tobacco is helpful, but nicotine is the addictive property.” said Bonnie Seaks, physician’s assistant and medical support provider for the Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation Program. “Relapse is more likely when people are still using nicotine products.”Continue Reading… Walk the Path to Becoming Nicotine Free

We’ve all heard that washing our hands is important, and that it prevents the spread of germs and infections.  Hand washing seems like such a simple task, but a recent study by MSU researchers found that only five percent of people that use the bathroom wash their hands properly.

The study was conducted by Carl Borchgrevink, JaeMin Cha and SeungHyun Kim, faculty members in the MSU School of Hospitality Business. The researchers trained a dozen college students in data collection and had them observe 3,749 people in public restrooms. Of the 3,749 people observed: 33 percent didn’t use soap, 10 percent did not wash their hands at all, 50 percent of men used soap compared to 78 percent of women and people were less likely to wash their hands if the sink was dirty.Continue Reading… Are You Washing Your Hands Properly?

Summer is soon approaching, which means warmer weather and a lot of sun. Time spent in the warm weather can be fun, but it also has the potential to be dangerous. According to the MSU Health e-Guide, a heatstroke occurs when the body fails to normalize its own temperature and the body’s temperature rises, often to 104°F (40°C) or higher.

Remaining healthy and safe requires the ability to recognize a heatstroke before it’s too late and treat it while waiting for help to arrive. Listed below are the symptoms associated with a heatstroke from the MSU Health e-Guide.Continue Reading… Recognizing and Treating a Heatstroke

With summer fast approaching it’s time to say goodbye to harsh winds and snow, and hello to flowers and summer skin care. As the seasons come and go, your skin care routine must change with it. Skin care in the summer will be different from skin care in the winter. These five tips from board-certified dermatologist Dr. Ali Moiin and MSU’s Healthwise Knowledgebase can help you make the transition.

1.  Avoid sun exposure

The best way to prevent a sunburn is to avoid sun exposure. Stay out of the midday sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is the strongest sunlight. Find shade if you need to be outdoors.Continue Reading… How to Prepare Your Skin for the Summer

Cholesterol is a fatty substance, also called a lipid, that’s produced by the liver. It’s found in foods high in saturated fat, like fatty meats, egg yolks, shellfish, and whole-milk dairy products. Moderate cholesterol levels in your blood are a vital part of the structure and functioning of our cells, but high levels of LDL cholesterol — low-density lipoproteins — can lead to a slow plaque buildup in the arteries over time, and serious progressive health problems.

There are three main components your doctor evaluates when you have a blood test to check your cholesterol levels. They are LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and triglycerides.Continue Reading… Monitoring and Managing Cholesterol

When winter rolls around, sadness or depression can too. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that affects people during the same season every year. Typically, people who experience SAD feel worse in the winter months and better in the spring and summer.

SAD can affect everyone, but according to the Health4U’s Health E-Guide, those more likely to experience the disorder include:

• People who live in areas where winter days are very short or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons.
• Women.
• People between the ages of 15 and 55. The risk of getting SAD for the first time goes down as you age.
• People who have a close relative with SAD.Continue Reading… How to Beat the Winter Blues