Don't Turn the "Fun-Sized" Into "Full-Sized"

Happy Halloween everyone! Once again, it's that time of year when free candy and chocolates seem to fall into our hands. As I walked home it occurred to me that Halloween is a holiday for all ages. Generally speaking, the majority of trick or treaters is 15 years old and under. As a kid, it is socially acceptable to knock on doors, collect candy and then mindlessly devour the sweet treats. However, the concept of Halloween is different for adults. It is no longer socially acceptable for adults to trick or treat, unless they are accompanying a child. Thus, adults are left with certain responsibilities on Halloween; such as  purchasing candy and distributing it to trick or treaters. Responsibility is required to execute health decisions on Halloween. 

I have identified three degrees of health responsibility.

1. individuals who do not take on health responsibility
2. individuals who take on minimal health responsibility
3. individuals who take on full health responsibility 

How does Halloween affect each of these three groups? It seems inevitable that individuals in category 1 are likely to constantly pick at halloween candies. They may even continue this bad habit well into the rest of the week. Individuals in group 2 may go ahead and eat what they desire but are conscious that there eventually is a limit. Lastly, individuals of group 3 are highly likely to implement action. What type of action would they take? Perhaps, they would only buy one bag of candy to distribute. Most of the candy would go to trick or treaters with minimal leftovers. Therefore, they might assess the leftovers and pick out their favorite candy. Lastly, these individuals will allot a reasonable amount of candy to eat.

Personally, I would consider myself an individual who is fully responsible about my health. I made sure to control my Halloween candy intake. This year, my mom bought the "fun-sized" chocolate bars and candy. Most people know that the "fun-sized" portion is about the size of a thumb. I allowed myself to indulge in one snickers bar, two musketeer bars, one twix bar and one starburst packet. It felt satisfying to have a variety of tastes but in small portions. 

Warning! Don't let the size of the candy fool you! Eating three "fun-sized" bars will add up to one regular size bar. So make sure to stick to the concept of a "fun-sized" candy because it may lead to a calorie packed binge. Also, if you want to limit your candy intake try this: have a designated time for candy. For example, if you want that mini snickers bar, eat it after dinner because you'll already be full. If you eat candy on a full stomach you may be tempted to keep snacking on candy in hopes to feel full. Unfortunately, chocolate and candy do not posses fiber or protein to help you feel full. 

I hope all of you have a healthy and safe Halloween! 

Remember, it's all a matter of personal choice.

Just know that there are healthy habits to enjoy sweet treats.

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/

Save Calories, Save Money

I wish my mom still packed lunch for me to bring to school. Unfortunately, she thinks I'm too old for that. Recently, I noticed my bank account slipping into a black hole. I had to ask myself, where was it all going? Food. Starbucks. More Starbucks. It occurred to me that buying overpriced lunches and coffee drinks were a luxury, not a necessity. This past week I implemented a strict brown bag lunch rule. Luckily, my school schedule allows me to enjoy breakfasts at home. However, 3 out of 5 days a week I am at school during lunch time. The bottom line is that I prepared lunches to bring to school.

What did I bring you ask?

Day 1: turkey sandwich with cheese and hummus on whole wheat bread, an apple, and a special K bar...& water!

Day 2:  ham sandwich with cheese and light mayo, an apple, banana, pear...bought a Starbucks coffee and mini vanilla scone (rewarding myself)

Day 3: leftover zucchini pasta with butternut squash and cheese (Hunter has a microwave), gnu food energy bar in chocolate brownie, an apple, water

I basically saved about 1/2-1/3 of what I would normally spend in a week. Even better, I ate healthy balanced lunches. Of course, it was easy to save money this way since I don't purchase the groceries at home. But if you are living at home like I am, then consider taking advantage of the resources in your home. Spending money on eating out definitely devours your bank account, no pun intended! But more importantly, sometimes the money we spend on food that may seem healthy is not always healthy. Brown bagging allows you to control what you put into your body. Also, remember to not only bring a meal but 2-3 snacks. This will help you to avoid mid afternoon vending machine runs. 

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/

Test Your Heart Healthy IQ

Ultimate Weight Loss Quiz

Quizzes are always more fun outside of the classroom!

I came across this quiz online and actually learned some great new knowledge.

Check it out :)

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/

Healthy Relationships

I usually zip by the 3rd floor cafeteria at Hunter College to get to my next class. However, this time I paused near the cafeteria in order to send a text message. After pressing send my eyes flowed to a big banner about 500 feet away from me. Across the banner the title, "Counseling & Wellness Services", sat boldly centered on the beige background. I decided to check it out. Lollipops and free condoms sprinkled the table. But more importantly, a bunch of handouts were readily available. Among the bunch of pamphlets, this one stood out to me...

I remembered that someone requested for a healthy relationship blog. The information in this handout clearly highlights what constitutes a healthy and unhealthy relationship. Even better it provides a hotline for those who need further guidance.

A healthy relationship. Well what kind of relationships are there? Boyfriend-girlfriend. Boss-employee. Parent-child. Teacher-student. Student-student. Although this handout is geared toward a more formal couple relationship, a handful of the guidelines can be applied to other types of relationships.

I retrieved October/November editions of Self, Cosmopolitan and Women's Health Magazine. Each magazine featured an article relevant to the topic of healthy relationships.

Cosmopolitan Magazine contains an interesting inside look on the life of past '60s Playboy Bunny waitresses. As I read on it became apparent that Playboy Bunny waitresses did not have a healthy relationship with their bosses. More specifically, "...they couldn't report to work without their gynecological health being confirmed", which certainly invades privacy and personal space ("Ugly Bunny Tales"). Another disturbing rule the Bunnies had to follow is that they could not be seen drinking water while working. The limitation of water relates largely to decision control, not being able to have water seems as if they were treated like servants. In addition, if the Bunnies did not pass the "Bunny perfect" test then they could not work that night ("Ugly Bunny Tales"). Again, this unhealthy decision control is extreme. Of course, the 1960s deems a different time in society. Today, there are many laws that protect an employee. However, I'm sure many bosses think they can get away with unhealthy relationships with their employees. Point blank, don't be afraid to speak up, report them to human resources or quit.

A vital category in the NYC health handout is Financial Liberty/Control. Self magazine illustrates several helpful hints on how to handle financial discussions with a significant other. In 2009 Utah State University did a study that yielded this result, "...pairs who argue about finances once a week are 30 percent more apt to divorce than those who do it less often" ("Don't let money come between you"). This study was no surprise to me.

So here are the helpful hints to avoid divorce on account of finances.

1. Choose a good moment to bring up financial discussions or even set a date
2. Limit the time you are going to spend talking about finances, if you allow too much time then this can lead to unrelated issues
3. Remember to express your feelings on how a certain financial difficulty is affecting you, straight out criticism will erupt in a negative atmosphere
4. Make sure to handle each topic at a time, not all at once
5. Make it a point to understand what type of financial background each of you come from; who in your family handled the bills, what systems did they use

Lastly, Women's Health Magazine offered a sweet piece of advice to strengthen the bond between couples. Essentially, the article promotes random acts of kindess as a way to rekindle any relationship. For example, if he, "treats you to dinner after you've had a tough day at work" then this reflects how he wants to show his support as a team player and make sure you are less stressed ("The #1 Way to Build a Better Bond"). Another example, if he, "cleaned the house top to bottom, and then fridge is restocked" then he has turned chores into gifts ("The #1 Way to Build a Better Bond"). In both situations it is important to remain grateful and hold back any critical thoughts that may come to mind. I know through experience that these random acts of kindness work! My boyfriend sent me flowers once for a just because. It made me feel special and I knew he didn't just send it because it was a birthday or valentines day. The little things make the biggest impacts.

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/view/mosaic

Citations

Davies, Anna. "Ugly Bunny Tales." 11/2011: 160-161. Print.

Dunleavey, MP. "Don't let money come between you." 10/2011: 124. Print.

Savacool, Julia. "The #1 Way to Build a Better Bond." 11/2011: 103-105. Print.

Yoga Instructional Video

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/

Healthy Lifestyles with Kendra Jackson

                                                                    "...not too tight, not too loose..." 

During this past week I had a wonderful opportunity to sit down with Kendra Jackson and have a chat about healthy lifestyles! Ms. Jackson is a former teacher of mine. She's no ordinary textbook type of teacher, but rather a dance, yoga, and health educator. It felt inviting to be back at my old high school, BSGE. I knew how to navigate around the school and could recall of the teachers by their first names. This tight knit school atmosphere, definitely hard to come by in college. As I peaked my head into the yoga studio, the familiar smell of lavender daintily tickled my nose. I greeted Ms. Jackson with a big hug. We folded festively colored yoga blankets on the floor, a comfy alternative to the cold floor. I eagerly unearthed my laptop from my bag. The chatting began!

For those of you who may not know Kendra Jackson, she is currently a dance/health teacher at the high school The Baccalaureate School For Global Education. There, her classes are pleasant break from the multiple rigorous assignments. However, her career did not begin with BSGE. She was born in Boston and attended Roger Williams University. Not only did she obtain a BA in Psychology but double majored in Dance Performance. After moving to New York Ms. Jackson enrolled in NYU and achieved a masters degree in Dance Education. Over the course of her life, she has taught in multiple schools in Brooklyn. 

Of course, Ms. Jackson did not go through all this schooling without a reason. I wanted to know her personal influences for how dance, yoga and health came to be a lifestyle she led. Ms. Jackson pinpointed the first moment dance became her passion; she was about 6 years old and had signed up for an African Dance class. From there, dance was something that made her feel truly empowered. The environment in which she grew up in played a key role in her lifestyle. She told me that her father and friends had owned a co-op health food store in the 70s. I smiled when she shared that she grew up on lots of salads especially beet salads; beets are one of my favorite vegetables. Growing up in such a health consciousness household, it was easy for Kendra to develop good eating habits. 

Her parental influences led to a fruitful conversation regarding eating habits.  For seven years she dedicated herself as a vegetarian. She realized that she needed different proteins than just beans. Resultantly, she transitioned out of a vegetarian diet. We both agreed that lean protein meats and lots of vegetables and fruits were a great way to fight hunger. Pointing over to her desk, she showed me her water bottle with a built in filter. Keeping hydrated is an important aspect of her lifestyle since she teaches multiple classes a day. During the interview, Ms. Jackson's superb upkeep of a healthy lifestyle had me in awe. With knowledge of her eating habits and passion for dance and yoga, I wanted to know how she felt about certain health issues today. 

We chatted about Mrs. Obama's efforts to change the menus of several restaurants chains. Ms. Jackson highlighted an important point that the change should entail broadening menu choices. For example, many dishes could be altered in terms of how the food is prepared. She shared with me that one of her biggest issues with the health industry is genetically modified foods. I laughed when she threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed that she heard of exploding watermelons! Genetically modified foods just seemed unnatural to her and troublesome. Exploding fruits are not normal! 

The remainder of our chat revolved around exercise. Based on her experience as a teacher, I wanted to know what frequent health challenges her students may have stumbled upon. She pointed out two big challenges: one, students are often bombarded with too many "what not to dos" instead of "what to dos", and secondly, her students aren't getting enough exercise. The issue on "what not to dos" only stresses the importance of health education for children. As for exercise, Ms. Jackson provided an excellent way to manage an hour each day. She suggested to break up that one hour into chunks. More specifically, do some pushups or jumping jacks in the morning, then power walk your way somewhere, and then do some stretching. Yes, stretching can count as an exercise. Not only does stretching feel refreshing but it keeps you limber. Regarding the topic of exercise I inquired about how to get involved with yoga. Ms. Jackson suggested a yoga basics class. The advantage of a yoga basics class is that every pose and prop is thoroughly explained. Classes that advertise "open level" may not explain every pose or yoga terminology. 

After learning about Ms. Jackson's inside advice and opinions about health, there was one more question I had on my mind. I posed the question, are there any specific morals that you live by, that perhaps keep you on the path to a healthy lifestyle? Crinkling her forehead, she thought about the question for a second. Ms. Jackson shared a riveting quote she learned from her yoga studio, "...not to tight, not to loose..". The essence of the quote is to find balance in life; be motivated and push forward, but also relax and unwind. Ms. Jackson noted it's okay to have that piece of cake, but don't take the biggest piece presented. As I go on with promoting healthy lifestyles, I will surely keep that quote in mind!

For those of you reading I hope that this blog post has inspired you in some way! 

Certainly, it was a great experience of mine. 

Special thanks to Kendra Jackson! 

A yoga instructional video will be posted soon! 

Stay tuned to watch Kendra and I demonstrate a simple yoga routine.

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/

What Gets You Moving?

I'm sure many of you have shared this simliar experience:

Ripped out a page in a magazine with a cool exercise routine, got fully pumped, did it for a week...and then BAM: we feel accomplished and then slowly tell ourselves it's okay we don't need to exercise since we just did it a day ago. Eventually, we forget about that exercise. The cycle goes on and on. The same workout routine inevitably becomes monotonous. So how do we avoid seemingly repetitive workouts?

For starters, pick a form of exercise that fits your lifestyle. I find trying to hit the gym may be associated with a bundle of excuses; such as, oh I don't have a change of clothes, wow I just got home and I'm tired, what if I see that creepy dude who always checks me out? So if you are a procrastinator, maybe the gym isn't a great fit for your lifestyle. Another way of getting active is through dance classes, if your personality is outgoing and eccentric, then a dance class may tickle you pink. Swimming can guarantee a toned body, but again, you need to make sure it fits your lifestyle; do you have access to a pool, what times can you utilize that pool, are you willing to wear a bathing suit and cap, how appealing does swimming in the winter sound when you have to go back out into the cold? Personally, my go to form of exercise is walking. I know that I have to walk in order to get to the train station everyday for school. Keeping up with a walking routine, I tweak my mindset. Instead of walking along the bus route, I simply take another route. Also, it feels more pleasurable to enjoy the open air than a stuffy bus that has a range of smells and loud people on their cell phone. Not to mention, I noticed that the weeks I increased my walking, it helped me with my weight loss. Overall, just remember to be realistic and pick exercises that are comfortable to your lifestyle. Also, along with an exercise comes an important mindset. Think positively about what you are embarking on. Even the smallest changes will ultimately lead up to a big change.

The Official: http: //i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/

Healthy Eating Habits

You should go on a diet.

You should change your eating habits.

Which of the two sentences appeals more to you?

I know the second statement conjures up a lot more positive thoughts than the first statement! Something about the connotation of the word "diet" leads most people to think of barren salads and starvation. The problem most diets are that they are unrealistic. However, instead of dieting, losing weight results from good healthy eating habits. 

Recently, I had a friend ask me, "so did weight watchers work?" My reply came without hesitation, "I lost 15 lbs, of course it worked!" I'll admit, three months ago I couldn't fit into my favorite pair of uniqlo trousers. The metal hook to cling to the other side of the pant, wasn't anywhere close to uniting my pants. At that moment, I knew it was time to drop some pounds. However, I wanted to do it in a healthy way. So, I turned to weight watchers. I mainly joined because I wanted to lose weight and educate myself concerning proper eating habits. I've seen the weight watchers plan transform me mentally and physically. I want to share with you three vital lessons I learned from the plan.

1. Put in the effort to think about what you are going to eat for the day, in other words, plan ahead!
2. Load up on lean proteins, pair main meals with fruits and vegetables to satisfy a full but not overly full feeling.
3. Portion control what you eat, eat that one cookie or muffin, not the whole box!

Here's an example of what I ate today:

Morning

1 egg

2 pieces of whole wheat toast

1/2 cup of orange juice

Afternoon

1/4 of a salmon fillet

1/2 cup of mashed potatoes

1 cup of roasted cauliflower 

Nighttime 

Steamed Chicken-3 oz

Steamed brocoli-1 cup

1/2 cup of brown rice

1 pork dumpling

(This was ordered from a chinese restaurant! Many menus now have healthier options)

Snacks throughout the day

1/4 cup of cheerios 

Banana

Pear

Vita brown with whip cream 

Protein banana chocolate muffin 

Did I starve myself? No.

I've been eating like this for the past three months and the results are stunning. I lost weight, attained knowledge about what I was consuming.  Overall, I certainly altered my lifestyle and made these eating habits a part of who I am.

If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to leave it on this blog post!

The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/  

Currently In Theaters: "Contagion"

Contagion:
noun
the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact 

I hadn't been to the movies in a long time, so my boyfriend and I decided it was time to go. The only movie I knew about was Contagion, so we thought we'd give it a try! Essentially, the movie outlines how a highly contagious disease spreads throughout society. The movie veers off in a couple of different directions to follow the lives of doctors, government workers and everyday people in order to portray their reactions to an epidemic. Even though these story lines are not well developed, the movie raises interesting issues about the political and sociological affects of an epidemic.

One theme Contagion holds is human interaction. More specifically, as the epidemic spreads, the human population become so fearful that it becomes normal to wear masks in public and not touch each other. At the end of the movie a vaccine is finally found. Due to the vaccine, people start to revert back to their old norms. For example, at the end of the movie one of the main characters shakes hands with a friend. The handshake holds symbolic meaning; because a vaccine is found, the handshake symbolizes the restoration of societal norms.

Also, Contagion explores the role of government involvement in a situation of epidemic. Essentially, the movie suggests that government workers use their knowledge to their advantage to save their families first instead of the public. To what extent is it fair that government workers can use their power to save and warn the people that they are closest too? It seems inevitable. Human nature seems to get the best of us during times of intense panic. 

What I especially loved about this movie is that it wasn't just another disease spreading movie with unrealistic zombies and an abundance of shooting. Contagion followed realistic possible scenarios derived from previous historical epidemics. 

Oh, and after watching this movie, I think I need to invest in hand sanitizer!