Issue 3 February 2015
Happy Valentines Health Studies!
The Apple The Cupid Issue
The Apple - February Issue HSSA's online Newsletter This is our third issue of The Apple, the first one of the year 2015! Included are upcoming events within the School of Health Studies, recap of past events from January, relevant news and events in the field of Health Sciences and some nutritious recipes for you to try out.
WHAT'S ONE THING YOU LOOK FORWARD TO ON VALENTINES? ALISIYAH: Day after Valentine's day clearance on Chocolates! TARA: ^ ditto KYLEEN: Iol I was thinking the exact same thing! JENNY: Sending people funny Valentine's day memes MIN: Bakesales!! EMILY: Having cinnamon heart eating contests with friends Be updated with HSSA: Follow us on Twitter : www.twitter.com/WesternHSSA Check out our website: www. westernHSSA.com Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HSSA
The purpose of this newsletter is to help keep the student body up to date and informed of what's happening within their faculty, any upcoming events and things to look out for. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, or perhaps a recipe you'd like to subimit or an article topic you'd like to suggest, feel free to email us at westernhssa@gmail.com!
HAVE YOU MET... KENT & ANDREA? It has certainly been another busy academic year here so far within the School of Health Studies. Demand in our growing program is at an all-time high, as can be attested to by the many new potential students that we interact with during recent annual recruitment events, but also on a weekly basis as we get many office visits, phone calls, and emails from potential transfer students based currently in other programs on campus and also other universities. Our key program strengths such as being highly interdisciplinary, offering flexible program modules and innovative course offerings that respond to current health care trends, along with having highly supportive and knowledgeable Faculty and Staff, will allow for our program to continue and grow in a positive direction. This will also continue to allow our students to showcase a diverse academic student transcript record, along with an impactful rĂŠsumĂŠ/CV to showcase in the future.
More on the next page!
Meet Kent & Andrea! They are your undergraduate academic coordinator & academic counsellor. They are readily available to help out Health Studies students - visit them in HSB 222 if you have questions! Learn more about them: Kent Robinson (B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed.), Undergraduate Academic Coordinator & Career Counsellor
I’ve been working within the
School of Health Studies for over 4 years now, and about 10 years at Western overall after starting out as a Career Counsellor within the Student Success Centre and then moving into a dual academic/ career advisors role at Huron University College. I’m now living just a short 15 minute bike ride from my Room 222A office location in the Health Sciences building and enjoy playing tennis on the campus courts nearby in the summer months, & having fun memories of playing with friends in the past when growing up in frigid North Bay. At home, I greatly enjoy assisting my beautiful and amazing wife, Jocelyne, to raise our happy 4 year old daughter, Kalysa, who’s
daddy’s little ‘rosebud’ and puts a smile on our faces each and every workday morning when we drop her off at school for junior kindergarten and she still can’t let us go without a big hug and kiss. I love watching and playing multiple sports along with board games such as Crokinole, enjoy relaxing by reading a good magazine or novel, and watching a favorite TV show such as Modern Family, Parks & Recreation, Mr. D., Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Dragon’s Den or Shark Tank. My current favorite hobby is collecting Joke & Riddle books – current number (no multiple copies!) now stands at just over 1000 books.
Andrea Legato (B.A., M.A.), Academic Counsellor
I joined the School of Health
Studies in September of 2014 after previously working as an academic counsellor at Huron since January 2011, and have now worked on campus for the past eight years. In fact, I came to Western in the spring of 2005 to do my Master’s degree from Montreal and basically just never left. I’m an enthusiastic member of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and focused on growing my advising skills and practices through professional development. Outside of work, I enjoy Crossfit, travelling, cooking and baking, reading and, most of all, spending time with my husband Paul and our 21 month old daughter Kate. Please never hesitate to ask and seek guidance – call, email, or simply come see us directly in HSB Room 222. We provide individual and group academic and career counselling support, along with making appropriate referrals to the vast network of services available to you on campus, in London, and online as well. Being an undergraduate student is an exciting adventure, but please take advantage of the available services when (not IF) you need them - we are here to help you!
HSSA Healthcare Challenge By: Joey Chan The spark lit in the course HS4490 Health Innovation where it was realized that many heath studies students needed a way to translate their knowledge of health studies into a working situation. To address this need, HSSA developed and launched the first ever, “HSSA Health Care Challenge” where Western students are invited to participate in a case study where they will propose an innovative solution to an issue in health today. In cooperation with the International Center for Health Innovation, students will be able to enhance their critical thinking and creativity to form a flexible approach to the given problem. Each team will provide a brief presentation of their idea and will be judged based on several criteria. Not only is this a great opportunity to use knowledge learned in current and previous health studies courses in an applicable manner, it will
also bring awareness to the ongoing issues in today’s health field. After waiting for all submissions to be compiled, a team of HSSA members carefully reviewed each application and encountered many creative and innovative solutions to the given problem. It was a difficult task to narrow down the applications to only ten but after long hours of debate and discussion, the top ten teams are chosen. HSSA would like to congratulate the chosen teams and also thank all the participants. The top ten teams will present their ideas to a panel of judges on Saturday, February 28th at Arthur and Sonia Labatt Health Sciences Building. Come out to listen to each team present their original and innovative ideas!
If you have any recipes you would like to submit, please directly message us through our Facebook page! www.facebook.com/WesternHSSA
Past event: Winter Wonderland @ Gatsby The Winter Wonderland Bar Night at Gatsby, held on January 17th by Health Studies Students’ Association and Western Red Cross Club, was a huge success and raised hundreds of dollars for the West Africa Ebola Fund. West Africa has been deeply affected by the Ebola crisis, and these donations will help the Canadian Red Cross
contain and stop further outbreaks, set up more treatment facilities, mobilize more medical experts, and provide education to those affected by the disease. Western Red Cross Club provides volunteer opportunities within the London community, fundraising and awareness events on campus, workshops and speakers’
series, socials and more. The club holds volunteering events at four different organizations at least twice a week. In particular, they partner with the London/Middlesex Red Cross branch to fundraise and increase awareness for the International and Canadian Red Cross Societies and current appeals.
Slow-Cooker Pear and Apple Butter Need an inexpensive, unique gift idea? Try out this delicious pear and apple butter recipe, Ingredients: • 2 1/2 pounds Bartlett or Anjou
pears (about 5) • 2 1/2 pounds McIntosh or Gala apples (about 5) • 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt • 1 cinnamon stick
Directions: 1. Peel, quarter, and core pears and apples. In a food processor, finely grate
fruit (in batches if necessary), then transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in dark-brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on high, 4 hours. 2. Remove cinnamon stick and reserve. Transfer mixture to processor (in batches if necessary) and process until smooth. Return to slow cooker, along with cinnamon stick, and cook on high, uncovered, until mixture is thick and browned, 4 hours. Discard cinnamon stick and let mixture cool. Transfer to
HSSA Presents: Leaders of the Future Program
A Day to Learn About Cancer By: Emily Johnston Cancer is an illness that is more prevalent than ever in our society today. Since 2005, World Cancer Day is celebrated every year on February 4th. This day is meant to raise awareness of types of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. The primary goal is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020. Cancer, by definition, is term used for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. Cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several categories of cancer, including: carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma, and central nervous system cancers. Carcinoma begins in
the skin or tissues lining internal organs, while sarcoma begins in bone, cartilage, fat or muscle. Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissue such as bone marrow, and lymphoma begins in cells of the immune system. Lastly, central nervous system cancer begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal chord. What is a tumour? As cells grow and divide, they produce more cells to keep the body healthy. Very simply, this process sometimes goes wrong and mutations can form is a cells is damaged, which then create new cells that the body does not need. When there is a build up of cells, they form a mass of tissue called a tumour. There are two types of tumours – malignant and benign. Malignant tumours are
cancerous, meaning they can spread to nearby tissues and other parts of the body. This process is called metastasis. Benign tumours are not cancerous, and can often be removed. If you have cancer, or have a family, friend, or roommate with cancer, without a doubt, it is difficult to deal with. To support someone with cancer, the best thing to do is be there for them and continue to treat the individual as you always did. You may want to talk about interests and hobbies and other topics not relating to cancer so the person can take time away from thinking about the disease. Do helpful things for them, such as take them grocery shopping or go on walks together. Being present in their time of need is a huge help for someone with cancer.
Homemade Nutella Kyleen Wong Another gift that you can easily jar up and give away. Mhmm homemade Nutella… Ingredients: • 1 cup hazelnuts • 12 ounces milk chocolate, chopped • 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil or coconut oil • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3/4 teaspoon salt, more or less depending upon your preference Yield: about 2 cups Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). 2. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about
12 minutes, until they’ve browned a little and the skins are blistered a little. Wrap them in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove as much loose skin as possible. (Some skin will cling to the nuts when you’re done. It’s okay—not to mention inevitable.) Let cool completely. 3. Melt the chocolate in a saucepan over gently simmering water or in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Let cool completely. 4. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. Add the oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and continue processing until the mixture is as smooth as possible–or as smooth as you like. Add the melted chocolate, blend well, and then strain the mixture to remove any chunks of hazelnut that remain. The resulting homemade Nutella will be thin and somewhat runny and maybe even a little warm but it will thicken as it cools. Scrape your homemade Nutella into a jar or other resealable container and let it cool to room temperature. Cover the container after snitching several spoonfuls. The Nutella will keep on the counter for up to 2 weeks, if it doesn’t, you know, disappear before then.
Thinking About Transitioning from Residence to Living Off-Campus? By: Kyleen Wong Maybe you’re a first-year who is thinking about moving out of residence for the upcoming school year, or a Rez soph who wants to experience the off-campus life. Here are some lesser known facts about living OC.
property with alcohol, the police can charge you. In fact most front yards have a "Road Allowance" which is technically public property, so you could potential be charged for drinking on a portion of your front lawn.
1. You thought quiet hours in Rez was bad? London has a 24/7 Noise Bylaw. This is due to the changing nature of work as many people have shift work, etc. If your stereo or TV can be heard outside your rental unit, you could face a charge and escalating fines if the problem continues.
3. Neither is hosting parties. It is illegal to sell alcohol without a license and this doesn’t affect just the host. All tenants in the unit will be liable for anyone drinking at their party.
2. Drinking in public places still isn’t allowed. Once you are off the
4. You might not have to pay for parking, but there are still regulations about where you can and can’t park. In London, it is illegal to park a car on the grassy
portion of your front yard and driveways can only be made of a certain substance and size. Also, you can't park on the street between 3 am and 5 am. 5. Taking out your garbage becomes an actual thing you have to do. The City has an eight-day schedule so your collection day changes every week. There are also some strict guidelines about what can and cannot be put out and what type of bag/container must be used. Check out the Off-Campus Advisor website (http:// www.has.uwo.ca/) for more information.
Volunteer opportunities: LiT Program What is LiT and How To Get Involved? By: Alisiyah Daya Learning it Together (LiT) is a student, volunteer-driven program that runs out of Western University's Faculty of Health Science. The program lasts for eight weeks within the second semester of each school year, and consists of a weekly, ninety-minute after school session in which a Western student partakes in a one-onone mentorship with an elementary school student. Our main goal regarding the program's content is to promote literacy, numeracy, and healthy lifestyle skills to kids in the London community.
By reaching out to children at such an early stage of their educational development, LiT aims to foster an enriching setting wherein students will be eager to learn these skills together.
very own eyes. However, what makes LiT unique is its fastpaced, health-oriented energy that allows us as volunteers and our elementary school buddies the flexibility to grow and thrive as students.
So, why do we do it? The reward from our program really does speak for itself; we do it for the smiles, the high fives, and the long-lasting hugs at our final session. Like any other volunteer program, we pride ourselves on our ability to give back to the community and create positive impacts to which we have the pleasure of watching unfold before our
We are always welcoming new faces, and can't wait to see what our upcoming ninth year as a program has in store. For any further inquiries, find us on our website, Twitter, or Facebook as seen below: www.uwo.ca/fhs/LiT/ @WesternLiT Learning it Together (LiT)
New Years Resolutions: How to Make Them Last By: Jenny Van Dorp Eat healthy. Stay fit. Learn more. Spend less. These among many others are common resolutions made by students for the New Year. Resolutions are easy to come up with but the challenge is actually sticking with them. With a month into the year, many people are still staying true to their resolutions but this number will continue to decline as the year progresses. How have you done with your resolutions so far and how do you plan to stick to them? From eating one more vegetable each day to learning how to ride a unicycle, there are endless possibilities for change in 2015. Many people make resolutions related to aspects of health involving ways to look better, feel better, be more productive, or give up a bad habit. A new year symbolizes new beginnings and many people take advantage of resolutions as opportunities to
get creative, be adventurous, and engage in weird pursuits. Some interesting resolutions people have made this year include learning how to do a headstand, trying to get on a restaurant’s hall of famed eaters board, making a new friend each month, waving to fellow drivers at four-way stops, learning how to play the saxophone, or writing people letters instead of emailing them. No matter the resolution, the key to adhering to it is to choose something that is realistic and means something to you. To succeed, you need to make a plan and set goals that aren’t impossible. Instead of saying you want to get healthier, set more specific goals such as exercising daily, or no longer adding sugar to your coffee. It is beneficial to use smaller goals as steps towards a larger goal. Another strategy is to find
alternatives for a behaviour you want to change such as substituting alcohol with water or juice at a party to reduce your alcohol consumption. Support from your peers and family is essential to increase resilience and stress management to help you stick with your goals. Additionally, it’s important to anticipate situations that may pose challenges to your goal so that you can prepare for them. For example, if your resolution is to spend less money, you can prepare by bringing healthy snacks to campus to avoid impulse buys. A resolution is your own choice and your own goal, not what others expect from you or what you think you ought to do. Setting goals that you care about and sticking to your resolutions can increase your wellness and self-esteem for a happier and healthier 2015.
UPCOMING EVENTS in February: Midterm Exam Season is upon us! Make sure that you study ahead of time and avoid cramming!
Also, keep an eye out for CPR discounted courses!
The Unite for Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference is happening on March 27-30 at Yale University! HSSA will be sending 45 full-time Health Studies students. You can find applications and further details at our website. Applications are due Feb.4!
Past Event: HSSA's Guest Speaker Series ft. Dr. Goldman HSSA had our second Guest Speaker Series event on Jan. 27, 2015 featuring Dr. Brian Goldman! The event was a huge success and the tickets were sold out the day before the event. Dr. Goldman is one of the most tusted voices in medicine, a doctor who thinks like a patient. He makes complex medical issues digestible
for audiences on radio, television and on the speaking circuit. He personalizes medicine and the human frailties of his profession.
healthcare and the direction it needs to take for the future, we hope those who attended had an insightful and educational night.
Dr. Goldman has worked as a health reporter for The National, CBC Television’s flagship news program, and for CBCTV’s The Health Show. Having had the chance to hear his views on
Thanks again to those who came out! You can follow Dr. Goldman on twitter: @NightShiftMD and also watch his Ted Talk online. Look out next year for HSSA's Guest Speaker
Spotlight: Eating Disorder Week By: Emily Johnston The Canadian Mental Health Association defines an eating disorder as a type of mental illness. There is often an underlying problem that causes these external actions, and it is extremely difficult for the individual to realize. Even if someone knows they are struggling, a huge challenge is being vocal about it. Each year, the week of February 1st-7th is dedicated to raising awareness for eating disorders worldwide. There are three main types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. A person suffering from anorexia restricts the amount of food they eat and exercise excessively. If these habits persist, heart and kidney problems can arise, along with many other issues.
An individual with bulimia nervosa experiences uncontrollable periods of bingeeating, followed by purging. They put their body at serious risk for dehydration, digestive and kidney problems. The third eating disorder, binge-eating, involves the excessive, uncontrollable amount of eating. They find great comfort in food, and put themselves at risk for weight gain, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes. Eating disorders affect a wide range of people, but those more susceptible to suffering from one are those with low self-esteem and poor body image. This is often the case with young adults, as they tend to be more vulnerable while discovering who they are.
There are many sources of support for those with an eating disorder, and it is important to seek help when struggling. Whether you talk to a friend, family member, doctor, or counselor, the initial step in taking action is crucial. Here at Western, there are several services available for support. Student Health Services (SHS) in UCC offers multidisciplinary counseling services, the Student Support Services Center in UCC is an anonymous and confidential support group who meets weekly, and Hope’s Garden in London is a third resource for help to overcome a disorder. Check out Western’s Mental Health and Wellness website for more information – there are lots of people who want to help!
Student Opportunity Fund (SOF) By: Vanessa Omorun Last semester the student opportunity fund helped health studies students, go on conferences, subsidize the costs of alternative spring break, bring Dr.Brain Goldman for the HSSA guest speaker series, fund learning trips and many more! The student opportunity fund is a great way for the health studies faculty to help their students do great things that they otherwise would not have been able to! The second round of the student opportunity fund
application will take place this semester. Do not miss your chance to have you faculty invest in you! Applications are due Feb. 15 in HSB 222. You can find the applications on HSSA's website (http:// www.westernhssa.com/#! sof-20142015/c1cf7) For a full list of the opportunities that the SOF helped make happen please visit www.westernhssa.com