P R IN T : Arts & Culture
4 íS» Wednesday, October 16,2013
Health questions
for any student
REAL HEALTH
Jesse Henninger
Arts & Culture Editor
Are you healthy? I am asking this because 1 want to know
how you define ‘health’ and whether or not you truly represent
that definition. When I’m surfing online news, social media, or
even watching television, the most common thing I notice about
‘health’ is: overrated fad diets, the newest ways to get exercise
and the topic on every American’s mind: socialized healthcare.
I am going to ask you a series of questions, in varying levels
of difficulty. By answering my questions, you will begin to under
stand that there is an alternative to all the media-driven popular
‘health culture,’ a sensationalized industry that only utilizes^ thin
slice of the many varied sciences that fully embrace all aspects
of what makes a person healthy. You will see why health has
become so crucial to the betterment of our lives, how changing
our own health perspective will change the world and the ways
we can achieve real health within ourselves.
Here come the questions: Do you eat all the right foods? Get
20 minutes of vigorous exercise daily? Are you a P90Xj yoga or
Zumba person? Do you juice cleanse or attend spin classes? Are t
you a Nike Fuelband-sporfing, outdoors-loving, 5k-running type?
Exercise and eating right have, essential benefits, but there is a lot
more to being healthy. ' ’
Ask yourself these questions: How big is your carbon foot- I
print? Have you volunteered in your community lately? Drive |
your own car or use mass transit? Buy pricey organic foods or
locally grown produce? Our roles in our environment are just as
important to a healthy lifestyle.
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Fierce Fall Fashion
W7/Zi summer long gone and winter on its way, we have no choice but to
unearth our inner hipster, harvest fashionistas. Check out these collegiates
the CCC campus runway wearing the latest in crop-season chic.
Consider this: How many hours are you online or playing
video games? Do you always ‘text’ or do you have real, verbal
conversations with the people in your life? Do you enjoy using
your laptop or smartphone while watching television? Now that’s
entertainment: the ability to send a selfie to the TV show host in
real time. Our activities are big contributors to the choices we
make about our health.
Now let’s dig a little deeper.
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might seem strange to others? Do you keep them hidden from
the rest of the world? Need to get tested for STDs? Too scared to
get checked? Can’t get him to use condoms or get her to consider,
birth-control? Becoming a parent before you ever thought you.
would and you have no clue where to begin? Talking about sex
and the included responsibilities is a topic we all can relate to.
that
What about long-term illness? Know anyone with asthma,
psoriasis or maybe Crohn’s disease? Know anyone who: Has
survived cancer? Organ transplant/donation? Smoking-related
illnesses? HIV/AIDS? Family members with mental illness or
disability^? Have you witnessed someone struggling to stay alive?
Lost a loved one too soon?
How do you handle it: When someone dies? Ever felt com
pletely alone in a room full of people? Discovered your lover is
cheating on you? Times when we have so much emotion built up
inside but cannot find the courage to tell someone about our feel
ings. Moments when we think life itself may not be worth living?
Do you try to escape? Drown yourself in alcohol whenever
possible? Want to quit taking those prescription pills but don’t
how to make it through the day without them? Addiction affects
many people in all walks of life. There are healthy alternatives to
addictive behaviors.
Are you in love? Was it the wedding of your dreams? Is your
relationship healthy? How many times are we going to keep
letting ourselves get hurt? Is your partner abusive? Have you
ever thought that you may not want to be married anymore?
Questioning your self-worth? Living up to the expectations of our
parents and peers can be exhausting. What makes us truly happy
and is it healthy?
Through the next eight weeks, we will explore real health and
ways to improve our lives by making healthy choices, covering
one or two areas per week. Information about our daily activi
ties, family life, relationships, social lives, religious culture and
even our ecosystem, in an effort to reach a customized level o f
“healthy.” Discussing physical and mental illness, addiction,
medication, family planning and a really long, thick column
about sex.
We will learn to make informed choices for a higher standard.
We have the amazing ability to personalize our health; tailor
it precisely to our needs. This all-encompassing journey will
venture through the heart, mind and body with expert opinions,
well-researched topics and my own two cents, of course. Real
health, for everyone.
Top left: Aimee Elber,
CCC Staff
Top center: Rosario
Albright, sophomore (on
right) & Katelyn Rohner,
transfer degree student (on
left).
Top right: Katie Gotur,
freshman.
Left of middle: Michael
Towne, transfer degree
student.
Right o f middle: Tee Tee
Ho, freshman.
Bottom center: Kristin
Hailton, sophomore.
Bottom right: GiGi
Rascon, sophomore.
Photos by Karina Gustafson & Elizabeth Ariel Diaz The Clackamas Print
What about religion? Are your spiritual needs being met?
Have you discovered that maybe your beliefs are not the same
as those of your parents, friends or co-workers? Your church
doesn’t accept who you are and you want to explore new options?
Spirituality is integral to a healthy life.
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