Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2000)
4 Ways To Boost Your Energy! by Wendy Skendzel Do you find you are energized at the beginning of the term, but lack energy toward the end? As the term goes on, many students feel fatigued and worn down. So now that the break is over and we have a fresh start, is it possible to keep that energy flowing for the rest of the year? The answer is yes; it is possible if you take the time to learn some basic training. Here is the scoop: The secret to energy is balance within four major fac tors in your life: stress, nutrition, exer cise, and sleep. Stress Stress is a primary source of fatigue. Stress puts your body into “fight or flight mode” which is similar to an adrenaline rush. This response uses up large amounts of energy and makes you feel worn-down. To maintain maximum ener gy, one must actively manage stress. A good way to counterattack stress is to decrease distress and increase eustress or “good stress.” Two examples of eustress are athletic activities and going to social functions with people you enjoy. And never underestimate the power of opti mism! By having a good attitude, you will enjoy your tasks more, and other people will enjoy you more. Nutrition Food IS your main source of energy, so evaluate your diet as a whole. Do you eat 3 meals a day? It is impossible to maximize your energy flow if you are skipping meals. You need to keep refueling your body throughout the day. photo by Roger Bailey Besides eating 3 meals a day, you need variety in your food intake. You cannot get your full load of nutrients by eating Lucky Charms every single meal of the day! It is important to eat different foods to make sure you are receiving all of the vitamins and other nutrients your body needs. Balance between foods is another aspect to look at. It is also important for your body to receive the proper amounts of carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, dairy prod ucts, protein and fats. Check out the food pyramid and match up your diet. One more tip: Look at the quality of your food. Try to eat com plex carbohydrates and non-processed foods like whole grain breads and brown rice. For more information concerning nutrition, contact the Health Center’s dietitian: Kristen Olmos at 346-2794. Exercise Here’s a quick tip: Exercise helps re energize! Try it. The next time you feel tired and low on energy, take a 15-20 minute brisk walk or jog. This not only wakes you up, it reduces stress and improves circulation. Studies show that exercise can have a profound effect on one’s mood and emotions. Exercising 20 30 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week is practi cally guaranteed to brighten your day and pump you up! Sleep During break, did you notice how much you slept? Many of you probably received far more sleep than you get at school. This is why you are energized at the beginning of each term. Students tend to think of sleep as a low priority. Studies show that sleep deprivation is actually detrimental to maximizing energy. Once again, try it for yourself. Try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night and notice your alertness and energy increase. Also, it is beneficial for some people to take a 20-30 minute “power nap” during the afternoon. This is an excellent juice-booster. Well, here it is: the key to the treasure box of energy. Test it out and notice the difference. If you are still feeling fatigued or need help in an area above, contact the Health Education Program at 346-4456. Carbohydrate Addiction by Apryl Haro Are you among those who believe they have an addiction to carbohydrate-rich foods? If you’re like me, a majority of the foods you con sume are carbohydrates, and why not? Health experts recommend that the largest part of your diet, 50-60 % of your total daily calories, come from carbohydrates. In addition, your body needs carbo hydrates for energy, and a majority of healthy nutri ent- rich foods contain carbohydrates. But for some, eating carbohydrates seems to be more of an addic tion than following a healthy diet. So, how can you tell if you are addicted to carbs? Carbohydrate addiction is defined by Drs. Richard and Rachael Heller as, “A compelling hunger, craving or desire for carbohydrate-rich foods” such as: breads, pastas, crackers, chocolate, fruit, fruit juices, vegetables, white rice, and even things that digest like carbohydrates such as artificial sweeteners alcohol. There are two dif ferent types of carbohy drates in the above list of foods, complex and simple. Complex are the breads, grains, pastas and veg etables. Simple are the fruits, fruit juices, milk, jam, candy and table sugar and other types of sweet foods. Both types of carbo hydrates pro vide you with energy; although, serving-for-serving you get more nutri tional value from complex than refined or processed sugars. Not only are carbs needed for brain and nervous system functions, but they also cause chemical reactions in your body. As your body digests carbs, they increase the level of Tryptophan, (an amino acid that helps in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is associated with mood levels) in the blood, causing an elevation in mood. When I asked Kristen Olmos, Nutritionist for U of O about carbohydrate addiction, she suggested some questions you might want to ask yourself before you conclude you are addicted to carbs- “Are you eating predominately refined and processed car bohydrates? Are you fasting until the end of the day? It is not uncommon to overeat if you wait until the end of the day, and many times carbohydrates are more readily available than other types of foods. Irt this case it’s the compelling hunger that is caus ing you to overeat, not the craving for carbohy drates. Are you eating more than just carbohy drates? In other words, are you getting enough pro tein, fiber, fat, vitamins and minerals from your diet? Something you should always keep in mind is food is nourishment.” The key is to eat carbohy drates in moderation, keep your diet balanced and ensure you are eating a variety of foods. Party Safely By Carrie Lacey-Krietz As the holidays come around and the drinks are being poured, it is important that you understand your rights and ways to be safe. Every year there are countless stories on college campuses about sexual assault and abuse. As a University, we need to recog nize safety with our surroundings and people we are friendly with. As surprising as it sounds, many of the victims who are raped have known the perpetrator. This is aquaintance rape. Sexual Assault Support Servicb (SASS) reports that 85%-95% of the vic tims know their offender. In the media this statistic is recognized a lot less; for instance it shows the woman who is out in the gro cery store parking lot who gets attacked, depicting stranger rape. What is Rohypnol a.k.a roofies? Awareness should be the main focus around college campuses. It is great fun to party and go out on the weekends, but partying safe should be a concern. There are drugs at parties that are know as roofies. The real name for the drugs are Rohypnol and Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate which are date-rape drugs. These drugs that have no scent or taste and can be easily placed in a drink which can cause memory loss within 20 minutes and last for up to eight hours. These are very dangerous and can cause serious harm, including sexual assault, to the victim. When it comes to sexual assault, it is important to know that “no” means “No!” but with predatoiy drugs, perception is altered such that consent cannot be given. What should you look for? Some of the symptoms to the drugs are memory loss, trouble breathing, vomiting-and drowsiness. To protect yourself you should only drink out of bottles that you have opened yourself, and make sure you dont take a drink from someone else. If you have taken the GHB or Rohypnol drug, find a doctor immediately as you could be experiencing a life-threatening reaction. There have been many fatalities and people do not immediately know how dangerous the drug is. What does the University have to offer? The UO Health Center provides testing for Rohypnol. If you suspect being drugged, a urine test can be performed within 72 hours'of ingestion. Call 346-2770 or come to the Health Center for more information. V In addition, there are many programs that are offered to provide safe transportation and safe environments. These programs are: • Office of Public Safety 346-5444 • Designated Driver Shuttle 346-RIDE • Saferide 346-4239 • SASS 343-SASS
