Category Archives: Uncategorized

PHAP 2013

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized and tagged with , ,

Image Source: Blogspot.com

  1. After watching Contagion, did you leave the theater thinking, “Wow, I wanna work for the CDC!”
  2. Are you interested in a career in public health, but don’t know where to start?
  3. Are you trying to figure out your post-grad plans?
  4. Don’t want to go grad school right away?
  5. Need a job with benefits?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then YOU should apply for CDC’s Public Health Associate Program (PHAP). PHAP is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) development program that provides opportunities for promising future public health professionals to gain broad experience in the day-to-day operation of public health programs. PHAP is perfect for recent college grads (BA/BS) who want a career in public health.

PHAP Program Highlights:

  • PHAP is a competency-based training and service program
  • The competitive, two-year fellowship is a paid federal position and includes benefits
  • Provides on-the-ground entry level jobs in the public health field for recent college graudates who are US citizens
  • Includes experience in at least two different program areas including: STD; TB; HIV; Other Communicable Diseases; Chronic Disease, Environmental Health; Public Health Preparedness; Immunization; Injury Prevention; Maternal and Child Health
  • It is anticipated that PHAP will hire 133 associates in FY 2013 and will receive well over 1000 applications for those positions

Public Health Associates are assigned to a state, tribal, local or territorial public health agency and work alongside local public health professionals. This is also a great opportunity for those of you who want of change of scenery and want to work in a completely new environment. You’ll gain hands-on, frontline experience in the public health field.

As an associate, you’ll get all of the benefits of working for the CDC (and I’m not just talking about health care). You’ll have access to all of CDC’s resources (training courses, library, etc.) and you’ll get the chance to meet and network with other CDC professionals (if you’re lucky, you might even get to meet the CDC Director, Dr. Frieden). You will also have a CDC supervisor and CDC mentor who will both help guide you along your path to becoming a successful public health professional.

After completing the program, PHAP graduates will be qualified for future jobs with federal, state, tribal, local and territorial public health agencies, and will be uniquely prepared to pursue an advanced degree in public health.

More reasons to apply for PHAP:

  • Employees of CDC are recognized as part of the nation’s leading public health agency, and receive a salary, paid sick and vacation leave, health insurance, and access to a variety of support services and resources.
  • Assignments give associates a portfolio of public health experiences and the opportunity to demonstrate competency in a wide variety of activities related to the delivery of public health services.
  • Associates receive extensive supervisory and mentoring support throughout the entire program.
  • Associates develop valuable career skills, on-the-job training, and become well-rounded public health professionals.
IMG_4634

Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Application is open through February 5, 2013. Take advantage of this great opportunity! Visit www.cdc.gov/phap to apply!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

 

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Where My Girls At

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized and tagged with ,

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

Versatile Blogger Award

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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

Hey- Come Write for Us!

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized

Looking to join the getPHYT team?! You weren’t actually looking but now are kind of interested?! Apply to be a contributing writer! getPHYT is looking for a couple of health-oriented human beings to write some posts for the blog. It’ll be a great experience to get your byline out there! Perks include learning a lot of relevant health facts and becoming a savvy blogger.  Apply by emailing us at getPHYT@gmail.com.

"Public health...It's philosophical base is social justice, and its scientific base is epidemiology." - Dr. William H. Foege, House on Fire

Alyssa's getPHYT office

The Awesomeness that is Public Health

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image source: http://www.nphw.org

It’s National Public Health Week! So? You might be thinking, “Why should I care?” Well let me tell you why…

Public health is awesome (and I’m not just saying that). Thanks to the achievements of public health, we live longer and healthier lives. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, “life expectancy at birth among U.S. residents increased by 62%, from 47.3 years in 1900 to 76.8 in 2000.” Click here for the Top Ten Greatest Hits Achievements of Public Health.

Public health is more than just diet, exercise, and disease prevention. There’s also motor vehicle safety, tobacco control, and suicide prevention. Pretty much anything related to health and safety falls under the enormous umbrella of public health.

More proof that public health is awesome:

  • On average, 42,000 deaths per year are prevented among children who receive recommended childhood vaccines [1].
  • Diabetes is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, blindness, kidney failure and lower-extremity amputation. Blood pressure control reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) among people with diabetes by between 33 percent and 50 percent and the risk of microvascular disease (eye, kidney and nerve disease) by about 33 percent [2].
  • More than 80 million people in the United States do not have access to fluoridated water. Water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by 25 percent in children and adults, and every dollar spent on fluoridation saves more than $40 in dental treatment costs [3].

No one likes getting sick. So why not practice healthy habits so you won’t get sick in the first place? This year’s NPHW theme is “A Healthier America Begins Today: Join the Movement.” So, join the movement and get healthy! For health tips, check out getPHYT’s post, Oh Schmidt.

painting by numbers is magic.

What I like most about public health is the impact it can make. Public health is community health. Medicine is to the individual as public health is to the population. While doctors treat illnesses, public health professionals implement health promotion and health education.

Unlike medicine, there is no instant gratification with public health. It’s like Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel. It took him 4 years to paint its ceiling. 4 years! It might not take that long for public health practices to work, but they do take time. The end result, however, is a masterpiece.

Public health empowers individuals to take control of their own health. Just like painting by numbers, public health provides the tools and guidance we need to be healthy.You’re the artist that creates the masterpiece that is your health.

Sources:
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ten Great Public Health Achievements — United States, 2001—2010. MMWR 2011; 60(19):619-623.
  2. Curb JD, Pressel SL, Cutler JA, et al. Effect of diuretic-based antihypertensive treatment on cardiovascular disease risk in older diabetic patients with isolated systolic hypertension. Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program Cooperative Research Group. JAMA. 1996;276:1886-1892.
  3. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Health Expenditures 2009 Highlights. Available at https://www.cms.gov/ NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/highlights.pdf

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

America’s Next Fruit Ninja

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized and tagged with , ,

fruit ninja

How to Become America’s Next Fruit Ninja (My Plate)

  1. See fruit, eat fruit. Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter, table, or fridge as a reminder.
  2. A fruit ninja is a frugal ninja. Buy fruit that’s in season. It’ll be tasty and affordable.
  3. A fruit ninja must always be prepared. Buy fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruit.
  4. Work those muscles. Get that fiber. Don’t just drink an orange, karate chop and eat an orange.
  5. Be a good fruit ninja role model and set a good example for baby fruit ninjas by eating fruit every day.
  6. Start your day strong. Top your cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt off with strawberries and blueberries.
  7. Pack a punch into your lunch. Bring an apple or banana for dessert.
  8. Up your dinner with a killer uppercut. Toss in some dried cranberries into your salad.
  9. Snack attack. Eat grapes instead of popcorn or dried mango instead of cookies.
  10. And remember, safety first. Thoroughly rinse fruit to remove dirt and microorganisms.
Click here for the secret to becoming the ULTIMATE FRUIT NINJA.
 
By ALYSSA LLAMAS

getting my fruit ninja training on at d&b’s

More Vitamin D, Please

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D is for Delightful. D is for Delicious. D is for DUDE, gimme some of that vitamin D please! We’re all familiar with vitamin C (probably because of that one band’s sad but true graduation song) and we know that it’s important. As soon as we got an itch in our throat, we head straight to Vons to pick up some OJ.  However, what most people don’t know is that vitamin D is vital for healthy living.

image source: Alyssa Llamas

“Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus” (WebMD). Calcium and phosphorus help you develop strong bones- but this would not be possible without the help of vitamin D. Also, vitamin D:

  • Protects the immune system
  • Reduces risk of developing multiple sclerosis
  • Can reduce asthma symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency is when vitamin D levels in the blood are low. It  can occur when you have limited exposure to sunlight, don’t consume enough of it (it’s found in some fish, egg yolks, cheese, plus more), or if you’re obese, have dark skin, have problems with your digestive tract and/or kidneys. Being vitamin D deficient can lead to bone pain and muscle loss.

Furthermore, “Vitamin D deficiency is one of the major causes of rickets in babies. This condition is characterized by bone softening and it leads to serious bone deformities. If vitamin D levels are low, bones will not be properly mineralized; calcium and phosphorus will not be properly absorbed. Skeletal deformities are extremely difficult to treat” (Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms).

Make sure you get enough Vitamin D

If you’re trying to get some vitamin D from natural sunlight, you have to make sure you aren’t wearing sunblock because otherwise your skin will not absorb it. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackeral are among the best sources of vitamin D.   Talk to your doctor about taking supplements as an alternative.

P.S. Watch this video for more information! Vitamin D Debate.

By HOSNA SAFI

It’s Trichy Trichy Trichy

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Trichomoniasis. It sounds like a rare and fatal brain disorder, found amongst the indigenous populations of a tropical island, that leaves its victims unable to stand or eat. Or an incurable and mysterious skin disease characterized by crawling sensations, lesions, and memory loss.

Protozoa (image source: ontd)

As scary as it sounds, Trichomoniasis is not some obscure, deadly disease. In fact, Trich is the most common curable STD. Around 3.7 million people in the United States are infected (CDC). Trich is caused by  Trichomonasis vaginalis, a protozoan parasite. During sex, the parasite can jump from vagina to penis, penis to vagina, or vagina to vagina.

Symptoms can set in 5 to 28 days after infection, but only 30% of infected individuals develop symptoms. However, the remaining 70% can still transmit Trich.

Symptoms in girls:

  • Itching, burning, redness or soreness of the genitals
  • Discomfort with urination
  • Thin discharge with an unusual smell that can be clear, white, yellowish, or greenish

Symptoms in boys:

  • Itching or irritation inside the penis
  • Burning after urination or ejaculation
  • Some discharge from the penis

Trich can be cured with a single dose of antibiotics. Unfortunately, 1 in 5 people are reinfected within 3 months after treatment. So make sure that your sex partner(s) get treated too and refrain from getting your freak on until all symptoms disappear. If left untreated, Trich can last for months to years and can increase chances of getting or spreading other STDs.

How can you prevent yourself from getting infected?

  1. Abstinence. It’s the only way to be 100% safe.
  2. Use latex condoms correctly every time you have sex. This reduces your risk but is not 100% full-proof. Despite the elasticity of condoms, they just don’t cover everything. Trich can still jump from point A and infect point B.
  3. Talk it out. Yeah, it might be uncomfortable but if it’s gonna save you from itching and burning in places that shouldn’t be, then the 5-10 minutes of awkwardness are worth it.

    image source: funcrunch

In case you were wondering, the blood-curdling illnesses described above are real! During the 1950s and ’60s, the brain disorder, Kuru, occurred at epidemic levels among the Fore Tribe in New Guinea and was caused by cannibalism (NINDS). It was a ritual to eat the tissue and brains of deceased family members. With the decrease in cannibalism, Kuru has now mostly disappeared. According to mayoclinic.com, the mysterious skin disease, Morgellons, is very controversial. Some doctors believe that Morgellons is caused  by a mental illness. So far, scientists  have not yet discovered its cause, treatment, or if it’s even contagious.

I’ll end this on an interplanetary, megastellar, hydrostatic note. To all the ’90s kids that grew up watching Disney Original Movies, this one’s for you: Super Nova Girl (Zoom Zoom Zoom)

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized

Five minutes ago, I asked my younger sister who was playing in the Super Bowl. She answered, “Oh, I think it’s Madonna!” And THAT’s how into football my family is – we care more about the half-time show than the actual game (don’t worry though, I looked it up and now know it’s GIANTS versus PATRIOTS).

image source: parentdish.com

Though the outcome of the Super Bowl really doesn’t concern me, concussions do, since they account for an alarming number of football-related injuries. According to Dr. Gail Rosseau,”The annual incidence of football-related concussion in the United States is estimated at 300,000, and nearly 45,000 football-related head injuries were serious enough to be treated at U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2009″ (Bloomberg Businessweek).

Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury. A concussion occurs when your brain hits your skull. This could be caused by a number of incidents, such as a bad fall, a car accident, or a tackle in a football game. Concussions are tricky because some people don’t show any symptoms of having one, while others might suffer from memory loss, dizziness, and nausea. Concussions can be extremely dangerous, though many young athletes do not take them seriously.

Young athletes often continue to play sports despite harmful injuries. According to WebMd, young athletes who have already suffered from two concussions are more likely to have:

  • memory problems
  • headaches, dizziness
  • sleep issues (too much sleep/too little sleep)

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, discussing his documentary about concussions and young football players in an interview with Sports Illustrated, said that “the best way to heal the brain is to essentially let it rest. No screen time. No texting. No reading for a few days. One of the players that we followed in the documentary was trying to exercise and lift weights during his healing period, and that’s a no-no. You really have to rest your body and rest your brain. It’s only when you’re completely symptom-free when you should be allowed back in the game” (Sports Illustrated). 

**Being active too soon may make the brain injury more serious.**

In the future, it may lead to a disease that resembles dementia. According to WebMd, “An evolving body of research has linked athletes’ repeated concussions to long-term brain damage, including a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that mimics dementia.”

If you think you have a concussion, you must see a doctor. Some characteristics of a concussion are:

  • extreme drowsiness
  • slurred speech
  • enlarged pupils
  • nausea
  • unconsciousness
  • headaches

Though you might not believe it now, safety comes first. Also, be sure to check out Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s documentary called Big Hits, Broken Dreams.

by HOSNA SAFI

The Best Part of Waking Up…

Posted by getPHYT in Uncategorized and tagged with , , , , , , ,

smoked salmon omelet. best breakfast I've ever had.

is Breakfast! I love breakfast. It’s the best meal of the day. Breakfast burritos. Omelets. Waffles. Bagels. Hash browns. Bacon. Croissants. Bobcats. Need I say more?

Like many of you out there, I don’t like waking up early. In fact, I’ve carefully calculated the precise time I must wake up to get ready for work, make breakfast, drive the 4.7 miles to the office, walk down the 6 flights of stairs in the parking garage, greet the security guard, ride the elevator up to the 10th floor, and clock in at exactly 8:30am. And as I go through e-mails at my cubicle, I eat breakfast.

We’re usually rushing in the morning. Often times, we’re victims of the charming and not-so-innocent snooze button. With the blink of an eye, a five-minute-snooze has become a twenty-minute nap and we’re 30 minutes behind schedule. Despite the hustle and bustle of the morning, it’s important to make time for breakfast.

Here are the Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Eat Breakfast:

  1. You need breakfast to jump start your day. After your recommended 8-hour beauty sleep, your brain needs a fresh supply of glucose to help you focus on the tasks ahead.
  2. Breakfast has essential nutrients, such as folate, iron, B vitamin, and fiber, that help you function.
  3. Breakfast is good for your heart unless you eat 10 pounds of bacon (please don’t). Eating breakfast helps prevent diabetes and lowers blood pressure.
  4. Eating breakfast may help prevent metabolic syndrome disorders like obesity and insulin resistance. “Researchers found that the time of fat intake matters; when eating fat early, metabolism worked efficiently and affected the animals’ response to different types of food later in the day” (thedailymeal.com).
  5. If you eat breakfast daily, then you’re less likely to develop eating disorders. Wait, what?  Often times, people skip breakfast to lose weight. One less meal means less calories, right? Wrong (See #8).
  6. Eating breakfast can boost your immune system.Take that! Mucus-making-monsters!

    spinach-feta cheese omelet and asparagus. fancy postgrad breakfast.

  7. An egg a day can keep the pimples away. How? Eggs have lutein, a carotenoid antioxidant, which preserves the skin’s elasticity and protects skin cells from free radical damage. The best part about eggs is their versatility: sunny side up, over easy, over medium, scrambled, boiled, not to mention, omelets and eggs-benedict!
  8. Have you ever skipped breakfast and found yourself starving by noon? Luckily, your sweet supervisor brought donuts for the office. Your co-workers, on the other hand, aren’t so lucky. You just ate 4 donuts. Oops. Breakfast helps to prevent overeating and attempts to satisfy desperate hunger with quick and easy fixes. “Prolonged fasting can [also] increase your body’s insulin response, which increases fat storage and weight gain”(thedailymeal.com). Eating breakfast can help you get bikini-ready! Woo Spring Break!
  9. Breakfast gives you a boost of energy. Yay for productivity! “Breakfast replenishes your glycogen stores, which supply muscles with immediate energy” (the dailymeal.com).
  10. Breakfast can help you live longer. Say what? Studies show that century-old folks are regular breakfast eaters. Breakfast regs are also less likely to develop fatal habits like smoking and excessive drinking.

So, break the fast and eat breakfast! You’ll be surprised at how little time it takes to make breakfast.

Don’t know how to a boil an egg? Here’s how! Hard Boiled Egg 101

And here are some morning melodies to get your day started! Rise & Shine!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS