Tag Archives: cold

Oh Schmidt

Posted by getPHYT in Mental Health, Physical Activity & Exercise and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you watch New Girl, then you’re probably familiar with Schmidt. Nine out of ten times, he’s pretty much what you see in that video. But in episode 15 (Injured), Schmidt said something…profound. For once, he wasn’t JAR’d.

“Treat your body like a temple. Treat your body like a temple” – Schmidt.

Here’s how:

1. Eat healthy. This does not mean going on a Whole Foods (whole-lotta-money) diet. Click here for some tips from My Plate on how to stretch those food dollars. Make sure to include grains, veggies, and fruits into your everyday meals. Beware of Suga Suga Suga and Step Away from the Big Mac. And can we get some Waters All Around, Please? Thanks. Eat healthy and you may have what it takes to be America’s Next Fruit Ninja!

2. Be active. The CDC recommends 1 hour of physical activity every day for children & adolescents and 150 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity each week for adults. Keep your Head in the Game and play sports! Hear music and Just Dance!

3. Wash your hands. None of us know where those Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all have been. Plus, Clean Hands Save Lives.

4. Don’t smoke. Duh! So, want to go to college? Then you better quit smoking! Click here for tips from former smokers.

5. Stay positive. Stress Stinks! Don’t let your Horrible Bosses get the best of you. And don’t forget about those new years resolutions you made not too long ago. We Like Number 16 of Thought Catalog’s 20 New Year’s Resolutions for 20-Somethings.

6. Get sleep. The CDC recommends 7-9 hours of sleep. Rock-a-bye-baby!

7. Get check-ups. Make sure you’re up-to-date with all of your vaccines and tests. Sexy and I Know It? Yea, that’s great. But did you know that healthy is the new sexy? So if you get sick or feel pain, make an appointment with your doctor. Don’t go playing doctor and diagnosing yourself using WebMD. It’s Trichy Trichy Trichy.

For more info, check out CDC’s Tips for a Safe and Healthy Life.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Posted by getPHYT in Physical Activity & Exercise, Uncategorized and tagged with , ,

image caption: smithandsmithpr

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. At one time or another, we’ve all dreamed of waking up to a winter wonderland and having a white christmas. We imagine ourselves frolicking in the snow and making snow angels. Rarely do we recall that it must be 32°F or less for it to snow. I repeat, 32 degrees Fahrenheit!

Unless you live in the North Pole, cold weather really isn’t your thing. If you ask me, I prefer 75 degrees and palm trees. Our bodies aren’t the biggest fans of cold weather either. If exposed to cold air, water, wind, or rain, you can get hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the body gets colder and loses heat faster than it can make it. Body temperature, which is usually 98.6°F, can drop to as low as 50°F.

image source: ugo.com

“I’ll never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go.” If Rose shared that piece of wood with him, maybe Jack would have lived. But no, she completely hogged the makeshift floating device, while the love of her life froze to death in the icy, cold Atlantic Ocean. Remember what Jack was like before Rose had “let go?” He was shivering and his skin was blue-gray. Jack had a bad case of hypothermia. THANKS ROSE. Some other symptoms of hypothermia include:

  • Lack of interest or concern (apathy).
  • Poor judgment.
  • Mild unsteadiness in balance or walking.
  • Slurred speech.
  • Numb hands and fingers and difficulty performing tasks.

“Treatment of mild hypothermia includes getting out of the cold or wet environment, using warm blankets, heaters, and hot water bottles. Moderate to severe hypothermia generally is treated in the hospital” (health.com).

One of my favorite parts about winter is getting to dress up in cute winter clothes (coats, scarves, earwarmers, beanies, boots, mittens, etc.). But seriously, how functional is that peacoat and scarf from Forever 21? REI has put together a guide on how to dress in layers:

  1. Base Layer: Keeps you dry by moving perspiration away from your skin and this helps regulate your body temperature. Ex. thermal underwear, tights, T-shirt, briefs, sports bras
  2. Insulating Layer: Helps you retain heat by trapping air close to your body. Ex. polyester fleece vests, jackets and tights
  3. Shell Layer: Protects you from wind, rain, or snow. Ex. Water-proof/Water-resistant jackets

Stay warm this winter season and be fashionable and functional. Click here for a 30% off coupon on any REI-brand item!

And here are some more Christmas tunes to get you into the holiday spirit!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

R.I.P Heavy D

Posted by getPHYT in Global Health, Physical Activity & Exercise and tagged with , , ,

image source: soul culture

On November 8, 2011, the “big teddy bear rapper” of the 80s and 90s, Heavy D, passed away. He was only 44 years old. Heavy D was a hip-hop pioneer and will truly be missed. The cause of his death is not yet known, but the LA Times reports speculation that Heavy D had been experiencing flu-like symptoms or pneumonia.

When you were younger, your mom might have told you, “It’s raining! Get inside before you catch pneumonia!” To set the record straight, getting wet won’t cause pneumonia. So what does? Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by bacteria or viruses. A cold or flu can also worsen into pneumonia. Kidshealth.org explains that the “infection creates fluid and mucus that blocks the alveoli [tiny air sacs in the lungs],” which is why people with pneumonia may experience coughing, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing or shortness of breath, chills, or chest pain.

Anyone can get pneumonia, but kids, senior citizens, and people with health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or HIV/AIDS are at a higher risk of infection. Nevertheless, it is important that everyone practices good hygiene, such as washing your hands, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (please invest in Lysol Disinfecting Wipes), and coughing/sneezing into a tissue/elbow/sleeve. Also, stay away from cigarette smoke and make sure to treat/prevent conditions like diabetes and HIV/AIDS.

Pneumonia can also be prevented with vaccines and treated with antibiotics and antiviral drugs. It seems like this whole pneumonia business is under control, right? WRONG.

In 2007, 1.2 million people were hospitalized with pneumonia and at least 52,000 people died from the disease in the United States. Every 20 seconds, somewhere in the world, a child dies from pneumonia. In fact, more deaths are caused by pneumonia than any other infectious disease such as AIDS, malaria, or tuberculosis.

Heavy D’s last tweet was “BE INSPIRED.” Today (November 12) is World Pneumonia Day. Join the Global Coalition against Pneumonia’s campaign to fight this disease by raising awareness in your community. Pneumonia is one of the most devastating yet solvable global health problems. Check out worldpneumoniaday.org for more information on how you can help solve this problem.

And in memory of Heavy D, check out one of his famous songs, “Now That We Found Love.”

By Alyssa Llamas