Monthly Archives: May 2012

Thinspo/Fitspo…Which Should You Follow?

Running across Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram these days, I notice many posts encouraging young girls to get thin. I love flipping through fitsperation blogs, myself (they’re great motivators). But thinsporation? Certainly, it’s not healthy to be overweight or obese. Certainly, these blogs are sending the right message…Wrong.

There is a clear difference between “Fitspo” blogs and “Thinspo” blogs. Out of “Thinsperation” came pro-ana and pro-mia blogs and boards. (If you don’t know what pro-ana and pro-mia stands for…it’s pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia, respectively.) Imagine the most popular forms of social media being used by teenage girls spreading tips and motivation on starving themselves, or worse, vomiting from their binges. It isn’t a pretty sight. Better yet, imagine these same blogs being masked by ideas of encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

What I want to do is clear the confusion between these two social media trend topics, “thinspo” and fitspo”.

“Fitspo” is defined as “images of active, strong, and fit women that promote proper exercise and diet. May also include images healthy foods…” (Urban Dictionary). The “fitspo” Tumblrs that I have come across showcase pictures of healthy dishes to encourage eating right.

image source: A Healthy Way of Life

And the Instagram photos that are categorized as “fitspo” showcase women exercising or motivating phrases:

image source: Shape Up Now

The main message “fitspo” images are sending is that in order to be strong and healthy, one must eat right and exercise regularly.

“Thinspo”, on the other hand, encourages young women to get skinny by unhealthy means. And  sometimes, while doing this, it disguises itself as a healthy means of achieving a desired weight (NY Daily News).

image source: Thinsporation Pro Ana

It is extremely important for young people to know the difference between these two trends because adolescence is such an impressionable time. We live in a society that says, if it’s posted on the Internet, it must be true. But it isn’t. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines, there are two important points in achieving and keeping a healthy weight (Myplate.gov):

    1. Maintain a calorie balance overtime (which would mean cutting calories for people who are overweight/obese)  AND
    2. Consume more foods packed with nutrients (which are vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, lean meats, beans, fat-free/low-fat dairy products, fish, nuts, and seeds)

Also, don’t forget to exercise! People should treat exercise like they would brushing their teeth or getting some sleep. And always remember, there are other sources out there, other than social media, to help with dieting and exercising.

By ARIELLE COLON

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Are You Making a Sissy?

According to “the Poolman” of Poolinfo, the swimming pool chemical that turns pee blue (as seen in Grownups) does not exist. “The limit does not exist!” (Mean Girls was on this morning). Anyways, just because there isn’t a chemical to detect urine doesn’t mean you should be peeing in the pool! Please, don’t pee in the pool!

But isn’t that why there’s chlorine? What’s the big deal about going number one in the pool anyways? When urine and chlorine are mixed, this produces irritants that cause skin rash and red eyes (Water Quality and Health Council). Not to mention the fact that you’re swimming in another person’s pee. The Water Quality and Health Council reported that 1 in 5 people admitted to peeing in the pool. I’m assuming that the actual number is probably higher. No one wants to swim in a toilet, so don’t pee in the pool.

Chlorine does not kill germs instantly. In fact, it can take minutes to days for chlorine to kill them (CDC). Even swallowing just a tiny bit of water that contains germs can make you sick with a recreational water illness (RWI). So, avoid getting pool water in your mouth (that’s kinda tricky). But most importantly, don’t swallow the pool water.

You can also get an RWI by “breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans” (CDC). Chemicals in the water or chemicals that evaporate from the water and cause indoor air quality problems can also cause RWIs.

RWIs can be a wide variety of infections, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. And the most common RWI is diarrhea, which can be caused by germs such as Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli O157:H7. This is really obvious, but I gotta say it anyways, “Don’t swim when you have diarrhea.” GROSS.

To help prevent RWIs, it is important to practice good hygiene. The CDC recommends showering with soap before swimming and washing your hands after using the bathroom. Remember, clean hands save lives.

How much do you know about water safety? Test your knowledge and take the quiz!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

p.s. Don’t make a sissy!

image source: wizzley.com

Hand + Foot + Mouth

image source: cartoonstock

Equals disease. Wait, what? Can you get it by putting your hand or foot in your mouth? Foot in mouth? GROSS. No, no, no. Let me clarify: Hand, food, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral contagious illness that commonly affects infants and children. Most cases of HFMD appear in the spring, summer, and fall. Just like its name, HFMD affects the hand, food, and mouth. An infected person  could have a rash, mouth sores, a combination of symptoms, or none at all. Symptoms include:

  • fever
  • poor appetite
  • malaise (fancy term for “feeling vaguely unwell”)
  • sore throat
  • painful sores in the mouth
  • skin rash with flat or raised spots on the palms of hands and sole of feet and sometime on the buttocks (rash may blister, but won’t itch)

Anyone can get HFMD. Once a person gets HFMD, he or she develops immunity to the specific virus that caused the infection. But there’s a catch! You can still get the disease if you’re infected by a different HFMD-causing virus. These viruses can be found in an infected person’s nose and throat secretions (saliva, sputum, or nasal mucus), blister fluid, or feces. HFMD spreads from an infected person to others through:

  • close personal contact (kissing and hugging)
  • the air by coughing and sneezing
  • contact with feces
  • touching objects or surfaces that have the virus on them

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for HFMD, but over-the-counter fever reducers/pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can be taken. Also, you should also drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. HFMD usually isn’t serious. In fact, most patients recover in 7 to 10 days without medical treatment. Though complications are not common, a person with HFMD can develop viral meningitis, polio-like paralysis, or encephalitis (brain inflammation) (CDC). Since there isn’t a vaccine to prevent HFMD, it’s important to reduce your risk of getting the disease. The best offense is a good defense.

  • Wash your hands. Seriously, clean hands save lives.
  • Thoroughly clean objects and surfaces that may be contaminated with a HFMD-causing virus. Invest in Clorox wipes.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are infected. That means no hugging or kissing your HFMD-infected boyfriend or girlfriend.

And just in case you were wondering, hand, foot, and mouth disease is NOT the same as foot-and-mouth disease. Foot-and-mouth (aka hoof-and-mouth) disease affects cattle, sheep, and swine and is not a threat to human health. For more info on foot-and-mouth disease, visit USDA: Animal and Plan Inspection Service.

 By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Underneath It All

image source: Cartoon Stock

Have you noticed scaly and itchy skin on your hands, feet, or behind your knees and elbows? Do you have embarrassing, recurring rashes? Well, you might want to ask your doctor if you have eczema. Eczema is a skin condition, more common in infants and children, that causes itching (sometimes called the “itch that rashes” because itching comes first) (A.D.A.M Inc). Eczema is usually referred to as atopic dermatitis. Usually eczema is caused by lacking certain proteins in the skin. The lack of proteins cause the skin to become red and inflamed, dry and blistered, and painful or itchy.

For people who do have eczema, they have to be careful of certain triggers (A.D.A.M. Inc):

  • cold and dry air
  • stress
  • contact with irritants (like fragrances in lotions and perfumes)
  • sudden weather changes
  • allergies
  • and even exposure to water

Various symptoms include (and these can be localized or spread throughout various parts of the body) (A.D.A.M. Inc):

  • dry skin
  • blisters
  • red and inflammed skin
  • rough, leather-like skin
  • skin color changes

Also, the age of the infected person can determine where the rashes will occur. So, in infants, rashes are usually found on hands, face, scalp, and feet. On anyone older, rashes usually occur behind the knees and elbows, neck, hands, and feet.

image source: Dermstore

There is no cure for eczema, which is a bit disheartening because the symptoms are more embarrassing than anything. But, its symptoms can be treated! If you do have eczema, explain why your skin reacts this way to your friends and family. The more you talk about it with people you know, the less self-conscious you will be. Also, it is so important to bathe briefly (to cleanse the skin and have as little contact with water as possible) and then moisturize as quickly as possible. The National Eczema Association recommends you use Cetaphil, but I say Aveeno is good too (they have a moisturizer specifically for people dealing with eczema).

There are different baths a person can take, to help reduce symptoms: bleach, apple cider vinegar, oatmeal, baking soda, bath oil, and salt baths. For measurements on water and soluble content, refer to The National Eczema Association. Some doctors say that doing the bathing/moisturizing process right before going to bed is best so that more moisture is retained. There are also prescriptions drugs that people can take to help reduce symptoms, but knowing the basics of bathing and moisturizing, and combining the two, definitely help lessen irritation on your skin.

If you have eczema, know that you are not alone! There are support networks, kids’ camps, and many doctors willing to help youth with eczema.  And learn to take extra care of your skin!!!

By ARIELLE COLON

Sign of the Times

image source: blog.commarts.wisc.edu

If anyone watches the new HBO series GIRLS, yay for you! It’s a fabulous (and I mean that in the least glamorous way) show about four women in their early 20s trying to figure out what life poses for them in the 21st century. In a recent episode, Hannah, the main character, finds out she has HPV. When talking it over to her current partner, he says that he got tested for it and doesn’t have it. At this point, I am angry and screaming at my TV.

HPV, which stands for Human Papillomavirus, is a viral sexually transmitted disease. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and 50% to 75% of sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives. There are  about 100 strains, 30 of which can lead to genital warts or cervical cancer (Discovering Human Sexuality by Baldwin, Baldwin and LeVay). The rest aren’t sexually transmitted and will heal on their own. But some strains, such as the ones that lead to genital warts and cervical cancer cannot be cured. In fact, every viral STI is not curable; once you have it, it is with you for life.

Once infected with HPV, a person may not experience any symptoms. In fact, the most common symptom of all STI’s is no symptoms at all (Planned Parenthood). In the case of HPV types 6 and 11 (Discovering Human Sexuality by Baldwin, Baldwin, and LeVay), though, people may notice single, soft pink bumps or a cauliflower-like growth in a few months after infection. These lesions are not painful, but they are highly contagious; and definitely not a pretty sight (trust me, if you want to get scared, look at pictures of HPV infected people; it’s better than a horror flick)! These are genital warts.

HPV types 16 and 18 can cause different, precancerous lesions in the genital area (Discovering Human Sexuality by Baldwin, Baldwin, and LeVay). These are the types that can cause cervical cancer and cancer of the vulva in women and sometimes anal, throat, and mouth cancer in both women and men. So it really doesn’t matter what type of sexual intercourse (vaginal/anal/oral) someone is engaging in at the time of initial infection; HPV is nonselective. Other symptoms of HPV include itching, irritation, and bleeding (Planned Parenthood-Los Angeles).

Women can easily be tested for HPV. Simply by taking a pap smear, a gynecologist will be able to tell if there is some kind of abnormality (Discovering Human Sexuality by Baldwin, Baldwin, and LeVay). Men, on the other hand, cannot be tested (Planned Parenthood-Los Angeles). This is why I got so angry at my television. A male can be a carrier of HPV and not know it, simply because he cannot be tested and because he may not have any symptoms. People must not forget that the most common symptom of an STI is NO SYMPTOMS AT ALL. Yes, there are statistics on how many males have HPV, but those statistics are only taken by the males who have genital warts (Planned Parenthood-Los Angeles). No other strains can report statistics for males.

Luckily, there is now a vaccine for HPV: Gardasil. Gardasil is given in 3 doses: the 1st at around ages 11 or 12, the 2nd 2 months afterwards, and the 3rd 6 months after the initial shot. The vaccine protects against the 4 types of HPV said above (6, 11, 16, and 18) (Discovering Human Sexuality by Badlwin, Baldwin, LeVay). Treatment for genital warts can occur. Doctors can freeze the warts, cut them off, or apply podophyllin to remove them (Planned Parenthood-Los Angeles).  But, like I said before, there is no cure for HPV.  Only its symptoms can be treated.

By ARIELLE COLON

image source: Saturday Night Live – NBC

Where My Girls At

image source: womenshealth.gov

This week (May 13-19) is National Women’s Health Week and today (May 14) is National Women’s Check Up Day!

Here’s a quick rundown of the screening tests for women as recommended by womenshealth.gov:

1. Blood pressure test: Get tested at least every 2 years if you have normal blood pressure (lower than 120/180) and once a year if it’s between 120/80 and 139/89. Talk to your doctor if your bp is 140/90 or higher. “I don’t have a blood pressure monitor” is not an excuse. I’m pretty sure your neighborhood CVS or Walgreens has one so take advantage of it because it’s free!

2. Bone mineral density test (osteoporosis screening): Women ages 50 and above should talk to their doctors to see if they’re at risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle. Your bones are constantly changing; old bones are broken down and new bones are made. “When you’re young, your body makes new bones faster than it breaks down old bones and your bone mass increases. Most people reach their peak bone mass by their early 20s. As people age, bone mass is lost faster than it’s created” (Mayo Clinic). The likeliness of developing osteoporosis depends on how much bone mass you attain while you’re young. Make sure you get enough Calcium (1,000 mg/day) and Vitamin D (600-800 IU/day) and exercise regularly (Mayo Clinic). This well help keep your bones healthy.

3. Breast cancer screening (mammogram): Women should start getting screened at age 50 every 2 years. Breast self-exams are also important. According to WebMD, “many breast problems are first discovered by women themselves.” The best time for a breast self-exam is one week after your period starts, since your breast tissue is least likely to be swollen or tender. The P Tracker app is a helpful tool to keep track of your cycle.

4. Cervical cancer screening (Pap test): If you’re 21 or older and have had vaginal sex, then it’s recommended you get a Pap test every 3 years.

5. STD tests (Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis): If you’re sexually active, please get tested.

6. Cholesterol: Starting at age 20, have your cholesterol checked regularly if you use tobacco, are obese, have diabetes or high blood pressure, have a personal history of heart disease or blocked arteries, or a man in your family had a heart attack before age 50 or a woman, before age 60.

7. Colorectal cancer screening (using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy): Colorectal cancer occurs in the colon (large intestine) or rectum (passageway that contacts the colon to the anus). You should start screening for colorectal cancer when you turn 50, but it may be necessary to get tested earlier if “you or a close relative have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, you have inflammatory bowel disease, or you have genetic syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer” (CDC).

8. Diabetes screening: If you’re 18-39 years old and your blood pressure is higher than 135/90 or if you take medicine for high blood pressure, then you should get screened for diabetes.

9. HIV test: Get tested if you’re at an increased risk (have unprotected sex, have multiple sex partners, have an STD, or share needles).

This year’s theme for National Women’s Health Week is “It’s Your Time.” And you know what? It is your time! Take control of your health by taking steps towards a healthy and safe life.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

image source: ebay

Whoop! There it is.

image source: tenthamendmentcenter.com

WHOOP! There it is…in Washington. Washingtonians are currently in the midst of a whooping cough outbreak. It’s only May and there have already been 1,100 confirmed cases. “That’s 10 times as many as this time last year, and health officials fear the number may rise,” reports NPR.

Whooping couch (also known as Pertussis) is a very serious and contagious illness caused by Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is spread by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others. One person coughs or sneezes the bacteria out and another person breathes it in (gross). So make sure to cover your nose/mouth when you sneeze/cough. And please, wash your hands!

image source: http://www.achd.net

Pertussis starts off with the typical cold symptoms: runny nose, congestion, sneezing, cough, or fever. But after 1-2 weeks, the cough gets really bad. “Pertussis can cause violent and rapid coughing, over and over, until the air is gone from the lungs and you are forced to inhale with a loud ‘whooping’ sound‘” (CDC). What does it sound like? Click here to find out. Babies may have apnea, which is “a pause in the child’s breathing pattern” (CDC). If that happens, take him or her to the hospital asap.

Though whooping couch is highly contagious, it’s also preventable and treatable. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent pertussis. Parents should also keep infants away from anyone who has cold or cough symptoms. In the United States, DTaP is the recommended pertussis vaccine for children. It’s a combo vaccine that protects kids against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. 3 for the price of 1? What a steal. Here are the vaccination recommendations from the CDC:

  1. infants and children: For max protection, a series of 5 DTap shots are given over the course of 4 to 6 years.
  2. pre-teens/teens: The protection power of the vaccine they got as kids may have decreased, so it’s recommended they get the Tdap booster vaccine.
  3. pregnant women: “By getting Tdap during pregnancy, maternal pertussis antibodies transfer to the newborn, likely providing protection against pertussis in early life, before the baby starts getting DTaP vaccines” (CDC).
  4. adults: If they didn’t get the Tdap vaccine as preteens or teens, then they should get one dose of Tdap.

That list pretty much covers everyone. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 infants with pertussis get pneumonia. The CDC explains that “many infants who get pertussis are infected by parents, older siblings, or other caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.” So protect your loved ones and yourself and make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date.

Though pertussis vaccines are very effective, they aren’t 100% full proof. If the pertussis bacteria is making its way through the community, there’s still a chance that a vaccinated person can catch the disease. If you or a child develops a cold or severe cough that just doesn’t go away, get checked by your doctor asap. Pertussis is generally treated with antibiotics. It’s important to get treated early on before the whooping starts.

WHOOP! There it is…the 411 on WHOOPing cough.

image source: canitbesaturdaynow.com

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

It’s Like Riding a Bike

image source: strangevehicles.com

May is National Bike Month!

  1. National Bike Month is all about promoting cycling and cycling safety.
  2. Save the date!
    • May 9: Bike to School Day
    • May 14-18: Bike to Work Week
    • May 18: Bike to Work Day
  3. Riding a bike is a great way to get exercise. You don’t need to be dripping in sweat to get a good work out in. Light to moderate physical activity can help reduce the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, and other chronic and life-threatening illnesses (Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center).
  4. Help save mother nature. Transportation is responsible for almost 80% of carbon monoxide and 55% of nitrogen oxide emissions in the United States. A short, 4-mile bike ride keeps 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe (PBIC).
  5. According to the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, about 1.5% of American workers in 2010 used bikes as their primary mode of transportation. Yes, that sounds tiny and insignificant, but it’s actually a 77% growth from 2000. Now that’s significant!
  6. Gas prices seem to be on the rise and we could all use some extra cash. The cost of operating a sedan for one year is about $7,800. Cost of riding a bike for a year? $120 (PBIC). Oh, just imagine what you can do with all that money you save! VA-CA-TION.
  7. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Here are some safety tips from the League of American Bicyclists:
    • Have your bike checked over by your local bike shop
    • Always wear a helmet to protect your head in the event of a crash
    • Ride in the right-most lane that goes in the direction that you are traveling
    • Obey all stop signs, traffic lights and lane markings
    • Look before you change lanes or signal a turn; indicate your intention, then act
    • Be visible and predictable at all times; wear bright clothing and signal turns
  8. The Tour de France is considered to be the biggest test of endurance. All I gotta say is: Lance Armstrong is a beast. For more fun facts about bikes, check out National Geographic Kids.
  9. Plan a bike day with your friends! Don’t know where to go? Check out Map My Ride for bike path maps and bicycling routes.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

They Call Me Weezy

Like everyone else who’s taken a break from going to the gym or running on the track, my body was clearly tired and showing signs of being out of shape. Unlike most people, I will cough and wheeze for a couple of days until my body gets used to the exercise. Apparently, I still have asthma.

Asthma is a disease that causes difficulty in breathing because a person’s bronchial airways are tight. And it’s actually pretty common (25.7 million people in the United States have it), especially in children (CDC). I should know; I was born with it.

Everyone who has asthma was born with the disease; it’s genetic. This doesn’t mean that everyone who has asthma will show symptoms. Some people won’t know that they have asthma until it’s activated by environmental factors. Symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, and general difficulty with breathing. There are environmental factors that activate asthma symptoms called triggers (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America). One trigger of asthma is smoking.

image source: senior.com

My parents were both chain smokers when I was younger  and that definitely did not help my breathing (but my mom hasn’t smoked in 12 years! Woohoo!). Smoking, like other triggers, causes inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which are the airways leading to your lungs. When someone’s bronchial tubes are inflamed, they swell, tighten the air passage, and get filled with mucus (KidsHealth.org). When these things happen, an asthma attack occurs. Asthma attacks occur because not enough air can pass to the lungs.

Common triggers that can upset breathing in people who have asthma are (AAFA):

  • irritants in the air (smog, air freshener, perfume, and smoke from fires)
  • substances that cause allergies (dust and pollen)
  • respiratory infections (the common cold)
  • weather (cold air, dry wind, and sudden changes in weather)

Other triggers that people might find surprising are:

Since every individual is unique, some people will only experience symptoms from some of those triggers. The severity of the effect those triggers have on a person’s breathing will vary from each person, as well.

No one knows how to prevent asthma; and no one knows how to cure it, but there are some ways to help prevent activating asthma and asthma attacks (Asthma Society of Canada):

  • avoid secondhand smoke
  • keep dust (and other triggers) in your environment to a minimum
    • wash your bedding regularly (about once a week)
    • clean your home to keep dust and mold away
    • to avoid air pollutants, try exercising inside and use air conditioner
    • don’t keep pets that shed fur
  • use inhalers as directed by your doctor

Let’s say you do have asthma, like me. There are still some awesome ways to treat any symptoms and attacks. When I had asthma attacks when I was ages 4-8, I had a humongous machine that treated my episodes. This machine was HUGE and it made a horrible noise when it was plugged in and my mom had to put in these vials of albuterol (this was the early 90’s, mind you). All I have to say is, “Thank goodness” for inhalers.

Now, when someone does have an asthma attack, it is very important for that person to stay calm because panicking will only worsen the attack. Next, the person must use his/her inhaler. Only if the inhaler doesn’t work or only works for a short while, must this individual be taken to the hospital or have 911 called for them. For small flare-ups or non-emergency attacks over time, there are 3 different types of treatment (Mayo Clinic):

  1. inhalers: filled with steroids (no, not the steroids athletes take illegally) for short-acting medication, beta-agonists for long-term and quick-relief medication, or a combination of the two
  2. oral medication: leukotriene pills or theophylline pills for long-term control or steroid pills for quick-relief
  3. allergy shots: usually taken by people whose asthma is triggered by allergies

image source: NY Times

For people with asthma, take notes on what upsets your breathing, how difficult it is to breathe, and how your asthma changes over time. According to the CDC, everyone with asthma should have an Asthma Action Plan, which is a “written plan that you develop with your doctor to help control your asthma” (CDC). An individual can control the severity of their asthma simply by knowing the different levels of treatment and by taking control of their environment by reducing the triggers they come in contact with.

***People with exercise-induced asthma will experience difficulty in breathing for a short while (nothing fatal). This does not mean that people with asthma need to limit their physical activity.  If breathing is too uncomfortable for someone, they may need to change their treatment, NOT THEIR EXERCISE. So I leave you with this:

image source: The Traveling Music Therapist

By ARIELLE COLON

Versatile Blogger Award

image source: versatilebloggeraward. wordpress.com

Thank you thank you to Pursue natural for nominating getPHYT for the Versatile Blogger Award!

The Versatile Blogger Award is a blog award given by another blogger. It’s an awesome way to discover other bloggers and to promote/share blogs.

The Versatile blogger Nomination has the following rules:

1) Thank the blogger who nominated you – Thank you, Pursue natural!!
2) Nominate 15 fellow bloggers and tell them that you nominated their site
3) List seven facts about you

Our site has nominated the following bloggers:

  1. Jennifer Koman
  2. Polkadot Tango
  3. Pursue natural
  4. dinutrition
  5. Alternative eating
  6. Elle’s Vegan Food Diary
  7. spicy basil
  8. PDResources
  9. Five and Spice
  10. HealthFire
  11. Finger, Fork & Knife
  12. Fit Food
  13. Making Health a Habit
  14. Stephen Kelly Creative
  15. Humaira Beauty

Seven facts about getPHYT:

  1. getPHYT was started while Hosna and I were catching up and discussing the show, Parenthood, on Facebook chat.
  2. We both minored in Health Care/Social Issues, which was equivalent to public health, at UC San Diego. We didn’t declare our minors till winter or spring quarter of fourth year.
  3. We almost named our blog, HUBlicHealth.org.
  4. getPHYT is pronounced “getFIT” and not “getFIGHT.”
  5. getPHYT is dedicated to educating youth and teens on public health info and news. By mixing public health with pop culture, we hope to raise awareness among youth and teens.
  6. getPHYT is on a bunch of other social networking sites! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
  7. getPHYT is looking for contributing writers so e-mail us at getPHYT@gmail.com if you’re interested!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

me and hosna at the komen race for the cure in la