The Apple - March 2015

Issue 4 March

Happy

2015

St. Patty's Day!

The Apple The Lucky Issue

The Apple - March Issue HSSA's online Newsletter This is our fourth issue of The Apple, the second of the year 2015!

Included are upcoming events within the School of Health Studies, recap of past events from February, relevant news and events in the field of Health Sciences and some nutritious recipes for you to try out.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO ON ST. PATTY'S? TARA: the gold at the end of the rainbow ALISIYAH: writing on myself with

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!

Stressed out?

HSSA is selling stress balls staring March 4 at HSB 8! For only $3 you can have an anatomical heart stress ball that can be used for:

green marker and putting clover stickers all over myself

1) Reducing your stress during finals (they're coming right around the corner!)

KYLEEN: being sober because March. 17 is a Tuesday

2) Give to your friends as a gift!

JENNY: eating green pancakes and pretending I'm Irish MIN: the not-so-sober morning people EMILY: everything being green, mainly the pancake and beer 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

Check the next page for details.

St. Patty's is coming up: Be responsible and safe, fellow Health Studies students!

Why can't you borrow money from a leprechaun?

Because they're always a little short!

Vaccination to Prevent Outbreaks By: Jenny Van Dorp The current measles outbreaks in Canada are a clear call for action in response to the spread of this highly infectious disease.

The spread of contagious diseases such as measles can be controlled through increasing education regarding the use of vaccines as a prevention method.

Awareness needs to be increased about the necessity of getting infants and children vaccinated early to stop the spread of contagious illnesses.

Health Studies students need to be aware of the requirements for vaccination since it is important for anybody entering colleges and trade schools, travelling internationally, and working in health care to get vaccinated for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR).

Measles is one of the most contagious illnesses and it spreads like wildfire. It spreads from an infected person coughing, sneezing or even talking. It can be transmitted as easily as through breathing in air containing the virus up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room. After infection, there is possibility for full recovery, although some people still develop serious complications.

Including the MMR vaccine under provincially covered programs was a big step towards overcoming measles.

While measles was virtually

wiped out of Canada, its high contagiousness can lead to sporadic outbreaks from sources such as infected travellers. Right now, the outbreaks in Canada are largely as a result of anti-vaccination movements.

If an unvaccinated person is exposed to measles, it is very likely that they will contract the virus and continue to spread it on to other vulnerable people.

Since measles is so highly infectious, a 95 percent vaccination rate is needed to have a sufficient number of people vaccinated to prevent outbreaks, this concept is called “herd immunity�. Herd immunity would protect vulnerable groups who are not eligible for the vaccine such as infants, pregnant women and people with compromised health.

The number of people at risk to exposure is increasing as a growing number of parents have chosen not to have their children immunized. This is done for a number of reasons such as religion, concerns about side effects, and fears that the MMR vaccine will cause autism – a relationship with has notoriously been proven false.

The evidence is clear that vaccines work. The vaccine has been proven to be safe; in fact, it is considered a much safer alternative than simply not getting it.

The current measles outbreaks in Canada is a reminder of the necessity of getting children immunized at young ages and for everybody to stay up to date on vaccines. Many people do not realize the impact that their decision to not get immunized can have. If vaccination schedules are not rigidly adhered to, then you start getting a reappearance of a disease. We need to dispel myths and give people the facts to enable them to realize that getting vaccinated provides prevention of infection and spread of illnesses at both a personal and societal level.

Introducing: Golden Apple Nominations The Golden Apple was created in January of 2015 by the Health Studies Students’ Association as a means to honour well-rounded students in the School of Health Studies who display exceptional health behaviors (for example, health advocacy) to Western University, School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences and/or community (monetary prize of $200).

Self-nominations are also acceptable.

Nominations for the Golden Apple will be accepted for up to 5 outstanding Health Studies undergraduate full-time students who best exemplify the spirit of a Health Studies student!

Find the application on our Facebook page!

Deadline: Friday, March 20th, 2015 pm at 4 pm in HSB 8

A Day to Learn About Careers in Aging This is an opportunity to engage with a wide range of health professionals including geriatricians, nursing home administrators, outreach professionals, tele-health professionals, client service coordinators, and owners of long-term care facilities.

Students will sit in groups of 4-5 and will converse with a health professionals for 20

minutes. After a break, we will have 2 more rounds of informal conversations with different professionals.

Another outcome was an opportunity for students to attend a fully-funded geriatric refresher day.

The event is meant to be informal and informative. Last year, one of the tangible outcomes of this event was a job interview and a subsequent paid position in a long-term care organization for one of our students.

This event is for all students but the capacity is limited so please RSVP by March 18, 2015. This event is great for those who both know and have little idea about their career paths. All are welcome!

If you have any questions or article topics or recipes you would like to submit, please directly message us through our Facebook page! www.facebook.com/WesternHSSA

Chocolate Avocado Pudding By: Kyleen Wong Chocolate pudding is now an acceptable breakfast food. Yes, that’s right, this chocolate pudding, which is made with avocadoes, is so healthy that it is breakfast-approved.

Ingredients: • 1 large avocado • 1/4 cup of agave or maple syrup • 1/4 cup of coca powder • 2 tsp coconut oil • 1/4 tsp balsamic • 1/4 tsp nama shoyu • 1/8 tsp salt Instructions: 1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. That's it.

Granola Bars By: Kyleen Wong

Looking for an easy, healthy snack for those days when you seem to be on campus from dawn to dusk? Whip up a batch of these 4 ingredient granola bars and stash a few in your bag to keep you going! - Kyleen Wong

Ingredients: • 1 cup of packed dates, soaked in hot water and drained • 1/4 cup of honey • 1/4 cup of creamy natural peanut butter • cup of roasted unsalted almonds, roughly shopped • 1 1/2 cup rolled oats Directions: 1. In a food processor, puree dates until smooth.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm honey and peanut butter less viscous.

3. In a bowl combine the oats, almonds, dates, and honey/ peanut butter mixture.

4. Press into 8x8-inch pan. Let set in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 bars.

Store in airtight container for up to a few days or in the freezer.

Volunteer opportunity: Age-Friendly London What is an Age-Friendly City? How To Get Involved?

By: Min Jo In 2010, London became the first city in Canada to join the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Network of Age Friendly Cities.

What is an Age Friendly City?

An Age-friendly Cities Progarm is an international effort to help cities prepare for global demographic trends: the rapid ageing of populations and increasing urbanization. An Age-friendly city is an inclusive and accessible urban envrionment that promotes active aging.

The city of London established an Age Friendly London Task Force in 2011, made up of

over 100 volunteer older adults, caregivers, service providers and anyone with an interest in aging, to develop an Action Plan to improve the age friendliness of our community.

arrangement offers regular activities at neighbourhood locations throughout the city.

City of London came up with a 3 Year Strategic Plan for the Senior's Centres in order to help older adults live healthy, active and socially oriented lives.

Knitting instructors Arts and Crafts Instructor Fitness Assistant Sports Assistant Language Instructor Spanish Cooking elader and more!

The City staff created progarms, activities and services built on a model of wellness and over the last few years, they have been moving to a "hub-and-satellite" model of service delivery. This

Volunteers are involved in many different roles at our locations, such as:

VIsit london.ca and find volunteer applications here: http://www.london.ca/residents/ Seniors/Hamilton-Road-Seniors/ Documents/Application.pdf A great way to get involved!

Spring Clean Your Closet and Your Life By: Emily Johnston It is that time of year again!

Spring is just around the corner, it is a great time to give your life a fresh clean.

Are you still committed to your New Year’s Resolution? Have your grades been slipping after a tough midterm season?

Can you see the carpet in your bedroom? How about your plate – any green? March 20th marks the beginning of spring, use this day as one to reevaluate the areas of your life that may need some cleaning.

Start with your living space.

Those dust-bunnies and cobwebs are not going to help cure that cold you have been fighting all winter. Use proper cleaning supplies to wipe away all the germs that have built up while you have been busy in your books. Go a step further and reorganize your shelves or fold the pile of clothes thrown on your chair.

Maybe you will find some extra space to be home to a new bamboo plant – it only

needs a little bit of water and brings a whole lot of luck.

Next, prepare for the worst and dig deep into your refrigerator. Remember the bag of spinach you bought a few weeks ago when you wanted more iron in your diet?

It probably looks more like green soup now. Perhaps next time you could buy a pack of frozen spinach and take a piece off each time you make a homemade stir-fry.

Now that your fridge is clean, you might want to think about areas of your diet you could clean. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always a “yes,” but maybe limit your pizza intake to one night a week.

March is National Nutrition Month, so it would be a great time assess your diet and make sure you are getting all the essential nutrients.

Preparing meals for the week on a Sunday night is a great way to avoid the temptation and convenience of fast food.

Similar to choosing healthy foods worth the calories, make sure you surround yourself with friends who are worth your time. It is important to have positive and supportive people who make your life more fulfilling and enjoyable.

Roommate or friend-group drama can be a huge amount of added stress, and it is time to reevaluate those you spend your time with. Be with people who make you happy and inspire you.

Once everything in your personal life is back on track, it is easier to focus on your academics. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to do school work, but be sure to include breaks. Plan your weekly to-do list along with your lunches on Sunday nights – multitasking is key to success! This “spring clean” may seem difficult, but by taking one area of your life at a time, you’ll feel fresh and renewed in no time!

Get Better Soon, Dr. Irwin!

We'd like to help wish Dr. Irwin, a beloved professor in Health Studies, a speedy recovery. Therefore, HSSA has a giant card in progress located in the council office (HSB 8).

We would like to invite everyone to drop by during office hours and write a message over the next two weeks!

And make sure to check out her inspiring story here: http:// news.westernu.ca/2015/02/irwin-sharingstory-others-can-better-understand/

HSSA's Health Care Challenge recap: By: Joey Chan In Canada, the shortage of body, organ, and blood donations is affecting the lives of Canadians every day. The finalists of HSSA’s first annual Health Care Challenge were given the task to address this current issue by finding an innovative solution. The panel of judges included Tara Chen, the President of HSSA; Bonnie Adamson, former CEO of LHSC; and Ramona Ferndandez; health studies faculty professor.

After an entire day of amazing presentations, the judges deliberated and decided on the top three groups that presented outstanding ideas. The third place team, consisted of Nicola Paviglianiti, Annie Zhang, and Victoria Chok, presented the idea of a reality T.V show called, “How I got my Donor”.

This method focused on using

the success of television shows to appeal to audiences on the reality of organ donation, incorporating people who are affected by the shortage of donors. They hoped to bring awareness by inviting viewers on the journey and lives of patients that can inspire and educate eligible donors.

Tiffany Tsui, Jargriti Sharma, and Nicole Saunders were the members of the team that placed second place with their idea that can increase bone marrow donations. They hoped to implement a fast track line at Service Ontario that would help encourage people who were waiting to renew their health cards to also become future donors. To be eligible to the fast- track line, one must watch an educational video on the donation process, fill a small survey, and have the option to

be involved in on- the- spot cheek swabs. This creative approach to tackling the shortage of bone marrow donation begins within Ontarians but could potentially grow to a larger scale.

Lastly, the winners of the Health Care Challenge were Alec Watson, Aishi Jiang, and Rohin Tangri. Their approach was to reward blood donors with subscriptions to e-books.

This program was to extrinsically motivate students with e-books that will eventually lead to an intrinsic attitude in blood donation. We would like to congratulate all teams in participating in HSSA’s annual Health Care Challenge and sharing their ideas to tackle health issues and we hope you will continue to be leaders in health.

Upcoming: Unite for Sight Global Health and Innovation Conference at Yale University By: Alisiyah Daya

On March 27th 2015, 47 Health Studies students will be traveling to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut to attend The Unite for Sight Global Health and Innovation Conference. This 2-day conference is the world’s leading and largest global health conference, hosting speakers and workshops influenced by professionals and students from all over the U.S. and worldwide. Topics to be covered at the conference include global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship. All of these subjects which are closely related to various

courses available within the Health Sciences modules.

Western students will be able to learn and contribute to real world issues through our multidisciplinary perspective approach on health care and health systems. With over 2000 professionals and students present, the Unite for Sight Global and Innovation Conference is a great place for students to network and gain some insight into their particular field of interest.

This amazing opportunity was made possible by the Health Studies Students Association through the Student

Opportunity Fund (SOF). The SOF will cover the costs for transportation to and from Yale University, as well as accommodation in New Haven.

Students will only be responsible for conference fees and spending while on the trip.

The trip to Yale University will end on March 29th and the group will be returning to London, ON on March 30th.

We look forward to learning more about different aspects of health while representing Western University and Health Studies at the conference!

Have a younger sibling, relative or friend entering university next year and considering Western? Tell them about Western's upcoming March Break Open House! Happening on Sat. March, 4th, Health Studies will be providing information and answering questions at HSB all day!

5 Tips to Having A Good Nights Rest By: Inaara Lalani As university students, we are most likely a little sleep deprived. Whether it is because we stay up late studying or just have trouble falling asleep when we are stressed out, I am going to share with you 5 tips to help get a good nights rest. If you aren’t sleeping the recommended hours, these tips will make sure that you get the most out of the time you are actually asleep.

This is especially important this month because March 2nd-8th is Sleep Awareness Week.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, here are five of my favorite tips that they recommend: 1. Exercise daily - Physical activity is extremely important for your health and wellbeing but it has a lot of added benefits that you would not think of.

Exercising everyday helps to make you tried by the end of the day so that you fall asleep more easily. Exercise at any time of the day can help but the more strenuous the exercise, the better. So instead of watching Netflix for an hour, try going to the gym so that you will feel tired at night.

2. Wind Down – Don’t go to bed right after you finish writing an essay on your laptop; take some to wind down away from any electronics. The light from the screen, whether it is your computer or phone, makes your brain more active therefore reading a book before you go to bed is a great way to allow your brain to relax so that you don’t toss and turn in bed.

3. Stick to the same bed time and wake up time – Waking up and going to bed at the same time everyday, even on weekends helps regulate your bodies clock and can help you go to bed more easily and wake up more easily so that you don’t end up running to your 8:30am class.

4. Avoid naps in the afternoon – As someone who loves to nap, I have definitely experienced the problems associated with this. When you take a nap later on in the day it ruins your sleep at night. If you do have to take a nap to help you get through the day, make it shorter and earlier in the day to make sure that it does not spoil your sleep at night.