Jumping for June Health

June is a great time of year.  The weather is warm, but not as hot as it can get in the later summer months.  There are tons of delicious fruits and vegetables in season.  And best of all, it's summer break!  Use this time to do something for you!  Make a move today!

Try going for a walk, jog, or run outside.  Find a local trail, go around your neighborhood, or explore a new area with a friend.  Want to keep track of how far you go?  There are a bunch of apps for that, including MapMyFitness, Nike+, Runkeeper, and even an app to run from Zombies-- really! 

Living near campus?  The Rec Center is open and happy to have you there.  There are also group fitness classes to enjoy, including zumba, yoga, and step!  Stop in and get energized!

And remember, fill up on the great number of in season fruits and veggies.  In season means they are lower in price and more available to you!  

Listed are just SOME of the fruits and vegetables available this season.  Eat well!

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Cucumbers

Eggplants

Green Beans

Honeydew Melons

Lychee

Mushrooms

Peas

Strawberries

Summer Squash and Zucchini

Watermelon

Want to get fresh produce?  Check out a local farmers market in your neighborhood!  Get great deals and even better food.

Choose to make healthy choices for yourself.  Live well.  Live healthy.

Finals Celebration

Finals are done!!  

Be happy, celebrate, and pat yourself on the back for all you have accomplished this year.  Whether you are finishing your time at Hopkins or finishing your first year.  Be proud of yourself.  Enjoy the break. Do something for you.  Celebrate.  And if you choose to drink, be sure to stay in the blue zone by choosing to stop at buzzed.

Mindfulness during Finals

We have all been told by someone that there are many benefits to living a healthy lifestyle. But has anyone mentioned that healthy living can also directly impact exam grades? During this finals period, try some mindfulness exercises - they are actually proven to have a positive impact on test scores.

Mindfulness can be described as paying attention to, and seeing clearly whatever is happening in our lives. It does not eliminate life stressors, but can instead help us respond to them more calmly and presently.

Practicing mindfulness can reduce mind wandering and improve performance on both reading comprehension and working memory capacity. A study published in the Psychological Science Journal shows that mindfulness training can help college students do better on the verbal reasoning part of the GRE.

The ABC’s of mindfulness involve:
A) Awareness – becoming more aware of what you are thinking and doing.
B) “Just Being” – avoiding the tendency to respond on autopilot, which might cause impulsiveness and decisions that are not thought through.
C) Seeing things and responding more wisely - by creating a gap between experience and one’s reaction in order to make wiser choices.

Cultivating mindfulness in your studying and daily behaviors can be an effective and efficient technique for improving cognitive function – leading to possible higher test scores.

Give it a try and see if being mindful can make a difference for you! If you would like more information from a professional contact the Counseling Center and Dr. Rose for extra help in incorporating mindfulness into your life.

Sexual Assault Prevention... a message

Sexual Assault Prevention comes in many forms.  Sometimes it can go over well and other times it might not work.  We're curious-- what do you think of this video from the University of Arizona?

Study Well

How are you getting through reading period?  Have you made a second home in the BLC?  Are you living off of ramen and the kindness of those with later finals?  Instead, try some of these awesome tips from the Huffington Post:

First of all, get your sleep!  A tired brain does not function well.  Sleep to succeed.

For studying material, try re-writing your notes or making flash cards and testing yourself.  The repetitive nature of this study style can make the information really stick in your head.

Try changing your location.  A number of psychologists found that by simply changing your study location, you can improve your memory's retention of information.

See what else you can do to help your study sessions be more successful here!

Boozzzzzze Tip

These next two weeks are crucial. Getting your ZZZ's is so necessary-- so will alcohol help you sleep better?  

According to a recent literature review of studies on alcohol and it's impact on sleep, alcohol will definitely not help a person sleep better.  While people who drink may fall asleep faster and deeply at first, they are more likely to have greater disrupted sleep as the night's sleep continues.  This means more tossing and turning, and less restful nights of sleep.

So for those that think drinking will help them get to sleep-- well they are right.  It will help them hit the pillow faster.  However, the studies show that the night's sleep will be anything but restful once the 2nd half of sleep sets in.  This reduces REM sleep significantly, particularly for those who have had moderate to heavy amounts to drink, and leaves a person feeling much less rested than a person who did not drink or drank very little.

Instead of using alcohol to help with sleep or to just get a better night's sleep when it counts the most (hello, finals) try doing some other sleep better techniques.  Here are a some suggestions to get you started: Ten Ways to Sleep Better.

If you choose to drink this weekend, try stopping at buzzed to reduce the negative effects alcohol can have on  your sleep.  The more you talk to others ,dance with friends, and sip mindfully means the more restful sleep you'll have, and the more productive day you can enjoy in the morning.

Tap That

An app all about sexual health information has been provided to NYC compliments of Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.  The app is targeted towards teenagers. It provides information on three areas: where to go for services, what contraceptive devices to get, and what they can expect at the clinic of their choice.

The app is just one of the many methods the NYC Health Department is using to help reduce teen pregnancy and increase sexual health knowledge.  They also have advertisements that have been deemed controversial by the public.  What are your thoughts on the ad?

Would you find an app like this helpful as a JHU student?  If such an app existed, what would you want it to include?

Did you know that you can go to the Student Health and Wellness Center for STI testing, well-woman exams, and contraception counseling?  Not to mention, all the free condoms you could ever want!    

SEE your bed more often

SEE Tip:  Has sleep been elusive this entire semester?  Well, it's The Final Countdown and sleep is as essential as ever to get us all through the last few weeks before Summer Break.  Keep your brain functioning at optimal levels by giving it what it needs- sleep.  So how do you do that?  Try one or more of the following tips:

• Avoid eating or drinking too close to when you are going to sleep.  Aim to eat dinner about 2-4 hours before going to bed and avoid heavy snacking prior to going to sleep.  Avoid the caffeine after lunch time if you can to help you get a more restful sleep and less groggy morning.
  
• Use your bed for sleeping.  Don't study or read your notes in bed.  It can confuse the cues in your mind when it's time to sleep and disrupt your ability to fall asleep easily.  Keep the bed for sleep and the studies for the library, your desk, or anywhere else you prefer- other than your comfy bed.
  
• Power down the technology.  Read a book, write down a list of things you need to do tomorrow (on paper, not using an app), or drink some chamomile tea (or other caffeine free option) to get you into a restful state.

Stop by the Breezeway today for a free SEE Sleep Care Pack from the PEEPs from 11-1pm!  Get your sleep started right this week with a little help from CHEW.

HKB News: UCLA was the first of the UC campuses to go smoke-free last Monday, as part of Earth Day. As the UCLA Chancellor said, "in order to take care of the Earth, we must take care of ourselves".  Want to read more about it as discussions continue about our own Smoke-Free initiative?  Check out the article here. 

Mellow out Monday Tip: Feeling stressed about upcoming finals?  Or still being crushed by exams this week?  Find some serious stress relief by stopping by The Beach on Friday starting at Noon for APTT and PEEPs present Under the Sea!  There will be a moon bounce, food, t-shirts, lots of other activities, and did we mention PUPPIES?!  

Need some stress relief before Friday?  Stop by the MSE on Q-level for a free 5 minute back rub from Stressbusters tonight starting at 8pm!  Or request Stressbusters to come to your floor meeting or group meeting to help you and your friends de-stress.  To request Stressbusters go to http://www.jhustressbusters.com/.

Sleep notes taken from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/spring-cleaning/feeling-sluggish-and-moody-take-these-5-steps-to-get-the-quality-sleep-you-need/article11215129/

Sip Tip News: A study of pong balls

A not so surprising study was recently released on how much bacteria is truly on the ping pong balls used for the drinking game, Beer Pong.  Again, not shocking results-- the researchers found A LOT (not a scientific term, but we think it's pretty accurate) of bacteria on the ping pong balls.  The bacteria included dangerous types such as salmonella, e. Coli, staph, and listeria.

While this study seems so commons sense you may be asking, "why bother conducting such a study?".  That was the researchers' goal.  They were looking at common-sense scientific questions that they could put some research behind the answers.  So now we know- officially and scientifically that beer pong balls are gross and covered in germs.

While we understand that people are not being massively affected by the dangerous disease spreading potential of beer pong balls, we also see that it can result in an increased chance for getting sick.  And we dare to ask, how well do you perform at Hopkins when you are sick?   Is it worth the risk?

If you choose to drink, perhaps skip the disease risk by avoiding the pong table at the party.  Try spending time on the dance floor, talking to your friends about their week, or meeting new people.  If you carry your own cup around with you and avoid the beer pong balls, you'll likely reduce your risk of getting sick and will increase your productivity for the weekend.

Check Yo'self

Status Quickie

How many times a week do you update your Facebook status?  

• Once a week
• 2-3 times a week
• 4-5 times a week
• Daily
• More than once a day

How often do you update your STI status?

• Never
• Annually
• I don't know 

If you've never checked your Sexually Transmitted Infection/Disease status or are unsure if you have been tested, and are sexually active now is the time to Get Yourself Tested.  

Today, we are offering FREE Chlamydia tests to JHU students at the Mattin Courtyard from 3-7pm.  These tests normally cost about $28 due to the Maryland lab fees, but thanks to a collaboration between the SGA, Office of Student Life, Student Health and Wellness Center, and CHEW, up to 50 tests will be given for free.

Be Smart.  Get Tested.  Know your Status.

Check Yo'self Befo' You Wreck Yo'self: Get Yourself Tested