What the Health Spring 2014

what the health

THE LATEST BUZZ ON FITNESS, NUTRITION AND WELLNESS SPRING 2014

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CHALLENGES THAT WILL HELP YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTHIEST SUMMER EVER

UNTOUCHED: AN INSIDE LOOK AT AERIE’S UNBELIEVABLE NEW CAMPAIGN

lululemon summer looks

contents WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014 check out lululemon’s new line, p. 38

FRONT OF BOOK

6 Word on the Street //Answers to your burning health questions

7 Summer Challenges //A guide to having your healthiest summer yet

8 WTH Tips: Intern Edition // Ways to stay healthy as a working student

9 If the Shoe Fits // The setbacks of online sneaker shopping

EAT SMART 21 All About Alkaline // Reboot your body with the Acid Alkaline Diet

22 Tricking your Sweet Tooth // Skinny dessert recipes that taste better than the original

24 Fast Food U.S.A. // A guide to quick and healthy dining all around the country

26 Super Food Smoothies // Treat yourself with these nutritious delights

28 Teatox Takeover // The newest lifestyle trend for a healthier, happier you

p. 48 No Time for Lyme // One student’s

story of her battle with Lyme disease, her recovery, and the hope to spread awareness

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

FEEL GREAT

12 Exercise Together // Easy ways to work out with those around you

13 Pedal to the Metal // A breakdown of this year’s most popular cycling programs

14 Monster Races // A rundown on the toughest, dirtiest, muddiest, and wildest running races

16 Mother Nature’s Gym // WTH’s guide to working out in the great outdoors

17 Soothe the Soreness //Therapies and remedies that will ease your aching muscles

18 Turn Up to Slim Down //A goal-setter’s guide to getting in the best shape of your life

GET WELL

30 Every Drop Counts // The ins and outs of blood donation

p. 45

Aerie Gets Real //An inside look at the brand’s campaign to use un-touched models

32 Silent Suffering // An exploration of the

collegiate population that suffers from mental and emotional disorders

34 Protect Our Breasts //A new campus

FEATURES

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College Contraception // A breakdown of SU’s birth control scene

52 Now That’s What I Call Chic //

Lessons from the Europeans and living healthy while abroad

organization is dedicated to protecting you against the harmful and potentially cancercausing elements found in everyday products

36 Over-sensitized // Technology’s effect on happiness

p. 10

BACK OF BOOK 55

Oil Pulling // An exciting new way to improve your oral health

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Kicking it Upstate // A WTH approved list of Upstate NY cities that are definitely worth checking out

Amplify your Agua // Rehydrate with these refreshing ways to enjoy your water

WTH Quiz // How healthy are you?

Inspired Spoons // Our favorite food blog of the year SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alexa Voss

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Shirley Chang

PHOTO DIRECTOR

Laura Palladino

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Amanda Piela

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORS

Breanna Caires, Hannah Melton

SENIOR WEB EDITOR

Juliana LaBianca

MANAGING EDITOR

Elisabeth Ferrari

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Samantha Breault

ASSISTANT WEB EDITOR

Marisa Malanga

SENIOR EDITORSÂ FRONT-OF-BOOK

Nora Patwell GET WELL

FEEL GREAT

Jocelyn Delaney FEATURES

Madysan Foltz

Jillian Thaw

EAT SMART

BACK-OF-BOOK

Morgan Chamberlain

Caleigh Gran

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Camille Bachrach, Kaitlyn Frey, Khija Rockett, Amanda Piela ASSISTANT PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORS

Madison Davis, Devin Dimattia, Gabrielle Garofalo WRITERS

Sarah Agate, Gabby Amado, Camille Bachrach, Fatima Bangura, Samantha Breault, Morgan Chamberlain, Morgan Conover, Mitali Das, Madison Davis, Jocelyn Delaney, Madysan Foltz, Sara Gatcomb, Caleigh Gran, Nicole Harris, Danielle Hay, Nora Horvath, Juliana LaBianca, Ivy Levine, Marisa Malanga, Zoe Malliaros, Nora Patwell, Khija Rockett, Sarah Sherlock, Lindsey Verrill, Meghan Walsh ASSISTANT TO CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sarah Collins, Ariel Weiss DESIGNERS // PHOTOGRAPHERS // ILLUSTRATORS

Fatima Bangura, Shirley Chang, Sarah Collins, Philip DeCicca, Emily Hinton, Daisy Jung, Morgan McMullen, Laura Palladino, Alyssa Pauker, Amanda Piela, Ariel Weiss PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM

Samantha Breault, Morgan Cavalcanto, Mitali Das, Ivy Levine, Carleigh Roush, Juliette Saffer, Ivette Terrazas LULULEMON MODELS

Sarah Bogden, Kristine Colon, Sarah Conviser, Mayra DeGouveia, Katie Hochrein, Colton Jones, Zoe Malliaros

TWEET US YOUR SUMMER FITSPIRATION @WTHONLINE

letter from the editor ALEXA VOSS

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fter surviving five months of a winter that brought us minus 12 degree winds and 131.7 inches of snow, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all looking forward to the warmer days of summer. Whether it’s filling your bright sunny afternoons with an invigorating jog or making refreshing summer treats, this coming season gives you lots of ways to stay healthy and active while relishing in the sunlight.

If you’re switching your busy school days for a job this summer, make sure you’re finding ways to keep yourself in tip top shape with our healthy internship advice for the working student, p.8. If you’re feeling adventurous, you should take a look at our WTHapproved list of places to visit in Syracuse’s own backyard of Upstate New York on p. 56.

Since the long winter months are usually filled with gloved hands cradling warm beverages in the haven of a local Starbucks, revive your taste buds with our list of refreshing super food smoothies, p. 26, or treat yourself with some deliciously healthy desserts, p. 22.

Whether you choose to fill your school-less days with an internship, travel, or just some quality relaxation time, remember that these coming months are ones to take advantage of. It’s important to take care of yourself, in every sense of the word. I hope you get to enjoy the 70-plus degree temperatures, the crisp morning air of a 5 a.m. jog, and the precious time spent with family or friends. But most of all, I hope you can relax, de-stress, and make this your healthiest summer yet.

Here’s to basking in the sunlight of summer days and hoping that the snow won’t come back for a very, very long time.

Cheers,

WTH would like to give a huge shoutout to the individuals who took place in the lululemon photoshoot and to our 10-week-old mascot, little Tater Tot, the french bulldog.

FRONT OF BOOK

WORD ON THE STREET Everyone has health questions they want answers to, so WTH hit the quad to figure out what’s on SU students’ minds. Here’s what we found: advice by // Ivy Levine

ARE VEGETARIAN MEAT SUBSTITUTES ACTUALLY HEALTHY?

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING MY PILL LATE?

Hannah, sophomore photojournalism major

Elana, junior advertising major

If you’re looking for a good meat substitute, it’s essential to check out organic products.

This is a surefire way to avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms). GMOs tend to be filled with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, all of which may be detrimental to your health. Bottom line: it is imperative to read the labels of the products you buy!

Why is missing one pill so bad? Well, when you don’t take your pill, you’re increasing the chances of releasing an egg from your ovary.

But you’re in luck if you forgot to take any of the last four to seven of the 28 pills, because they are just placebos.To be safe, if taking the pill everyday isn’t working out for you, there are a ton of other birth control options you can explore!

WHAT VITAMINS SHOULD I TAKE TO MAKE MY HAIR GROW LONGER?

IS HOOKAH BAD FOR YOU? Summer, sophomore advertising major

Elana, junior advertising major

Biotin is the best vitamin out there for hair growth! This B vitamin has also been proven to help slow down the development of gray hairs. Biotin, along with other B vitamins, helps you process energy and carry carbon dioxide through your body. When proper levels of biotin are reached, your sweat glands, nervous tissue, and bone marrow can function efficiently.

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Although hookah is said to be a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes, it still fills your lungs with smoke, which is not a good thing. The main difference between hookah smoke and cigarette smoke is how it is generated. Burning tobacco creates cigarette smoke. Heating tobacco in a bowl using charcoal produces hookah smoke. However, the end product is the same—smoke that contains carcinogens.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GET TESTED FOR STDS?

WHAT’S THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO WORK OUT?

Megan, sophomore psychology and Spanish dual major

Amanda, sophomore psychology major

Depending on your age, gender, and number of sexual partners, the frequency of testing can differ for everyone. However, you should always get tested after having sex with a new partner, at a gynecologic exam, and definitely if symptoms of STDs begin to occur.

It’s important to remember that everyone’s body is different. So ask yourself, “Am I an early bird or a night owl?” What really matters is that you establish a consistent workout schedule. Make a conscious effort to hit the gym at the same time everyday!

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

SUMMER

CHALLENGES

WTH’s guide to having your healthiest summer, week-by-week. story by Nora Patwell // photo by Amanda Piela

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uring the fast-paced summer, it can be hard to focus on health.

From internships to vacations, there can be a ton going on during the short summer months. Here are some simple weekly challenges to help you have a healthier summer:

6/1-6/7: No sugary food Try and cut out some sugary snacks like candies and cookies. Sweets tend to have little nutritional value and will leave you feeling hungry shortly after.

6/8-6/14: 20 minutes of

cardio four times this week Adding an extra long walk, hike, or run will boost your metabolism and help you burn calories. Simple activities like using the stairs or walking instead of taking the subway will boost your activity level.

6/15-6/21: Substitute a serving of fruit for an unhealthy snack

Instead of a chip binge or tub of ice cream, swap your unhealthy snack for a piece of fresh fruit. Fruit is freshest in the summer, making it even more delicious.

6/22-6/28: Push-up challenge

On Sunday, see how many push-ups you can do and try to increase your number each night. Start off slow, and work your way up.

7/29-7/6: Cardio six days this

7/7-7/13: Get at least 30

minutes of cardio five days this week Increase your cardio to get your heart and muscles pumping. Try a light jog or quick bike ride for some aerobic exercise.

Cardio will help speed your metabolism and leave you feeling more energized throughout the day.

7/14-7/20: No carbs after lunch

Carbohydrates are best eaten in the morning because they provide large and rapid amounts of energy. Try to eliminate them after lunch, though, because unused carbs can turn to fat. Try switching pasta for sautéed veggies.

7/21-7/27: Squat challenge Stand with your back flat against a wall and legs shoulder-width apart. Squat down so your knees form a 90-degree angle, keeping your arms out in front of you. Increase your reps each day.

week

7/28-8/3: Meat-free week

Try and do cardio almost every day this week. If your schedule is packed and you can’t get all six days in, try and increase the intensity of the workout instead.

Try healthier meat-free options, but remember to get your protein. Try leafy greens and eggs for some healthy alternatives.

8/4-8/10: Plank challenge Start in a push-up position and then lower your forearms so your elbows and fists are flat to the ground. Straighten your body and hold the position while tightening your abdominals. Try and increase your time each day.

8/11-8/17: No junk food Try your best to eliminate all of your unhealthy food habits for one week. Cut out sweets, trans fats, and processed foods and note how much better you feel.

8/18-8/24: Drink eight

glasses of water each day Hydration is one of the most essential components of your health. People need more fluids in the summer because of the sweltering heat and humidity. Carry around a refillable bottle to help keep you hydrated at all times. This will help regulate your digestive system and flush out unwanted toxins.

8/25-8/31: Pick two Pick two challenges you found the hardest and repeat them to end your summer at your healthiest.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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FRONT OF BOOK

5 EASY WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP story by // Sara Gatcomb

Congratulations! You’ve officially received a summer internship! This is without a doubt a positive move towards your future goals, but don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on your fitness goals. Here are five easy ways to stay healthy during your internship:

1 | Step it Up

Take the stairs! By the time the elevator arrives, everyone steps in, and it stops at every floor along the way, you’ve missed out on an easy way to get some exercise. According to a study done by the University of New Mexico, you can burn 15 calories just by walking up a single flight of stairs twice or three times a day. Whenever possible, take the stairs everywhere and as often as you can.

2 | Change Your Commute

If you’re living close to your workplace, why waste money on transportation? Try walking or renting a bike instead of hailing a cab or driving your car. If you leave early enough, you’ll have time to get your exercise in before the workday even begins.

3 | Drink it Up

You should always carry water around. According to the Mayo Clinic, women need about nine cups of water a day, while men need almost 13.

Water not only keeps you hydrated and healthy in the hot summer sun, but it also helps you maintain a healthy energy level. Plus, it helps your skin stay clear!

4 | Plan Your Meals

If you’re interning in a city, it isn’t uncommon to fall into unhealthy eating habits for a multitude of reasons: you’re busy, you don’t want to pay a ton of money for healthy food, you don’t have time to cook an impromptu meal, and so on and so forth. Every Sunday, sit down and plan out your meals for the week. Write them down and gather the ingredients to make each meal the night before to save time and money the next morning. This will make it easier for you to make the right food choices during the busy workday.

5 | Squeeze It In

Even if you think you don’t have time for working out, you do. Just because you can’t block an hour out of your day to go to the gym doesn’t mean you have to forego exercise entirely. Do calf raises while brushing your teeth. Dance while you’re getting dressed in the morning. Do squats while talking on the phone. Take advantage of free moments in the day when you can squeeze in little bits of exercise during your normal daily activities.

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

If the Shoe Fits THE SETBACKS OF ONLINE SNEAKER SHOPPING story by // Lindsey Verrill illustration by // Sarah Collins

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ou open up a new tab online to shop for a new pair of sneakers to wear to the gym. But what do you search for? Nike? Adidas? Saucony? New Balance?

How do you pick the shoe that will best support you and your workout?

Some people choose shoes because of their looks or flashy brand names, but they ignore the most important component of picking a shoe: how it fits.

For many, a crucial component of the workout is the outfit. It is a plus if you can look great while getting in shape.

Many people switch the comfortable sneaker for the cute sneaker, which can be disastrous for their workout.

Experts say that shopping online for sneakers is not the right choice. Certain sneakers support different people and different workouts better than others.

According to an article published by Consumer Reports, the best way to find out what kind of foot support you need is to bring your old worn-out sneakers to an experienced sales clerk. Depending

upon the wear and tear of your sneakers, they can determine which shoe will best enhance your workout. Consumer Reports also advises that when you try on sneakers in the store, you should take a stroll! See how the shoe provides protection yet, “allows the foot to function naturally with an unrestricted motion while walking or running.” So think twice next time you place an online shoe order and don’t judge it solely by their looks.

THE RIGHT SHOE CAN MAKE YOU FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER. People often forget that different brands of sneakers are designed for various purposes. Each is built differently and is marketed towards a specific audience with similar workout patterns.

According to a report of Yahoo’s top running shoe brands, Brooks is a specialty brand made for runners and

their biomechanical needs. They have a cushioning system that molds to your foot and are even eco-friendly. New Balance focuses mostly on the arch of their consumers’ feet, which tends to be a problem for those with wider feet.

The well-known Nike has revolutionized their shoe towards a more minimalist and lightweight model, which is popular for those who vary the intensity and degree of their workouts.

When asked about the brand of shoe they usually wear to work out, most students responded with Nike. When WTH asked freshman Patricia Szul why she chose Nike, she explained it was because she liked the way they looked. The same went for sophomore Mike Milillo, who thought they were fresh and comfortable.

In addition to looking good at the gym, the right shoe can make you feel a whole lot better. So next time you’re browsing the Internet for a cute new work out shoe, think twice. Give your feet a little more attention and choose a shoe that will boost your workout!

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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H T W : S E LOV

INSPIRED SPOONS story by Alexa Voss // photos courtesy of Georgia Pinter

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yracuse University junior Georgia Pinter has achieved a goal many foodies only dream of: becoming a well-known food blogger. With a high-trafficked website and a popular Instagram account, Pinter has captivated thousands with her photos of scrumptious food, which she makes herself with original recipes. The most astounding part: She doesn’t even have a kitchen. Pinter cooks almost all of her delicious meals within her 12.5-foot by 12-foot dorm room. Unlike other food-focused websites, Pinter’s photography studio consists of two blank sheets of paper and an iPhone—and she still manages to have more than 2,600 followers on Instagram.

In addition to being considered “Insta-famous,” Pinter also invented the hashtag #inspiredoats to connect other aspiring food bloggers through her own Instagram network. When Instagram users share photos with the hashtag, she features them on her account, helping them gain between 10 and 20 new followers.

An inspiration to dorm-confined college students everywhere, Pinter says the feedback she receives from her website and social media platforms is worth the effort. “It’s rewarding to hear people say I’ve inspired them to eat healthy,” says Pinter. “That’s what I want to do in life.” @inspiredspoons

@inspiredspoons

www.inspiredspoons.com

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

FEEL GREAT

FEEL GREAT

Exercise

Together

story by Samantha Breault // illustration by Phil DeCicca

Easy ways to workout with those around you

Working out can be fun, especially when you don’t realize you’re doing it.

The best way to make a workout more enjoyable is to do it with others. Your family and friends are great people to help you get motivated and keep on going through even the most difficult workout.

Keep On Being Sporty

Eric Klein, a sophomore on the cheerleading team, loves his workouts and finds them more enjoyable with other people. “Since I starting cheerleading, I’ve realized that stunting is a huge workout. When I’m in Florida or California, I meet up with local college teams and stunt with them. By doing this I’m able to bond with new people and exercise all at once,” says Klein.

If you want to find new workout friends check out Facebook or local websites to see what groups and activities are going on around you.

Get’cha Head in the Game

While the gym is a great way to stay active, it can seem repetitive. Classic childhood favorites like soccer or baseball are fun and enjoyable. You won’t even feel like you’re working out!

Next time you head to the beach, pack a game day bag. Frisbees, whiffle balls, KanJam, and other outdoor equipment are available at stores across the country.

To get the games going, start a Facebook group and invite your friends. Post away about times, meeting spots, and what games you will be playing.

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The Competitive Edge

If you enjoy running, get competitive with your friends and family. Sign up for a Labor Day 5K or half marathon to train for. You can even set up a prize for the person who comes in first to push everyone a little bit harder.

If running isn’t your thing, don’t worry.

Find ways to set long term goals together for different kinds of exercise. Want to nail that yoga move? See which one of your friends can perfect it first. You can also sign up for other competitions such as a bike races, obstacle courses, or even power walks. There are endless possibilities to what you can do!

Let’s Take a Stroll

You don’t always have to be breaking a sweat to be active. Walking is one of the easiest and most enjoyable methods of exercise. Since walking is in most people’s daily routine, it might be easy to find others to walk with.

Walking is also great for people of all ages and abilities. People of different fitness levels can enjoy this activity together. While you may not have the same stamina as a younger sibling or grandparent, you can share this easy exercise with anyone.

Dive In

One of the greatest perks of the summer is swimming. Aquatic workouts are usually extremely high calorieburners,

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

but they are also easy and fun. Moving in the water is a lot harder than moving in the open air so your body will immediately feel the workout. Try running in place in the shallow end; it will be much harder than running on land. Swim a few laps and start running again. Repeat this several times and end the workout by treading water. If you want to add some extras, hold on to the edge of the pool and do some reverse crunches. Your abs will thank you later!

Summer is one of the greatest times to get outdoors and spend time with those around you. Use one another to stay motivated and create a healthier lifestyle. Have a check-in system to make sure you are all sticking to your goals and reward yourselves at the end of the week if you do.

Pedal to the

METAL

A BREAKDOWN OF THIS YEAR’S MOST POPULAR CYCLING PROGRAMS. story by // Zoe Malliaros

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ay goodbye to bike lanes, stressful traffic, and bumpy roads.

The fitness world has a new trend: indoor cycling. Between celebrity endorsements, convenient urban locations, and interactive classes, spinning has zoomed past many other kinds of workouts in popularity.

There are several “big names” in indoor cycling, including SoulCycle, Fly Wheel, AquaAllure, and HydroFit. Each offers a different kind of workout, but with a similar set-up. Spinning is an aerobic workout that’s led by a certified instructor. Most classes are set to music to make the dynamic exercise even more enjoyable. The majority of classes last between 40 and 60 minutes, although some studios offer beginner classes that may not be as long. The goal of indoor cycling is to get a fast-paced cardio workout while enjoying the classroom setting. It is an excellent way to tone your legs, especially when combined with weights, resistance, water, or slopes.

Indoor cycling is perfect if you’re the type of person who likes a hard workout, but also enjoys setting your own pace. It doesn’t require rhythm or complex moves, so you’ll still have fun even if you aren’t into choreographed classes. It’s lowimpact and suitable for people who want to balance out other kinds of cardio, like running. Spinning is also a great way to work out for those who experience joint or muscle pain during strenuous workouts by decreasing impact. “Indoor cycling has been considered one of the lowest impact, most effective cardio workouts you can do,” says Jane Smith*, a senior at SU. “Unlike running, where you are constantly putting pressure on your joints as you hit the ground, cycling eliminates all of the impact your body feels from that movement.”

During an indoor cycling class, try to think of your instructor as a guide. This person should tell you the general guidelines about resistance, speed, how hard you should be working, and when to do specific movements (standing, sitting, sprinting, etc.). These instructions serve as guidelines, but also leave you with some freedom during your workout. You can recover, slow down, use less resistance or even add resistance depending on how hard you want to work. In a class format, people may feel a bit of pressure to keep up, but indoor cycling is a completely non-competitive workout.

So what about the different kinds of indoor cycling? We’ll start with SoulCycle. SoulCycle has established itself as an exercise brand with many celebrity participants and hundreds of locations scattered across top cities. A class for a first time rider at SoulCycle is $20, and single classes from then on are $34. A package of

five classes is $165. This cycling studio has locations in New York, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Its goal is to change people’s bodies and lives with calm studio settings and rigorous 45-minute workouts. A class at SoulCyle focuses on fat-burning cardio, a full-body workout (with hand weights), and choreography to work your core.

Next, there is Fly Wheel. This cycling phenomenon offers an experience that lasts 45 or 60 minutes and includes climbs and descents, while working arms with weighted bars. One ride is $32, or you can purchase a package of five rides for $155. According to Fly Wheel’s website, it’s an amazing escape that relaxes your mind and challenges your body. Fly Wheel studios also offer stadium-style seating, making every seat a good one. Instructors encourage participants to push themselves as far as they can go, and tend to place a lot of focus on the strategic set-up of the studios and motivating music. Fly Wheel bikes are customized for the user and they let you know how you’re performing throughout your workout.

Aqua Studio is different from other types of indoor cycling because the bikes are under water. Can you say resistance? The studio was recognized by Harper’s Bazaar as “the best way to get fit in 2014.” The rigorous flow of water gives your muscles a great workout without any kind of straining. According to Aqua Studio, the workout burns up to 800kcal per class, promotes flexibility, enhances blood flow, and effectively burns cellulite.

An introductory class is $34 and a package of five classes is $190.

After an aqua spin class at Aqua Studio, Allure writer Grace Clarke said in an April article, “I felt lighter and more buoyant, but I wasn’t sore or red-faced.” She also talked about her experiences saying, “Aqua spinning is a lot like ‘dry’ spinning at a place like SoulCycle—thumping beats; yogic, inspirational instruction; constant action and motion. But because the water is supporting your body weight, when you hoist yourself up out of the saddle, you aren’t working against gravity in the same way. It just isn’t all that difficult.”

No matter which type of cycling you decide to try, remember that it will take a few weeks to build up your fitness level to be able to work hard for an entire class. It’s important to take care of your body. Start at a lower intensity as you get the hang of it while you get used to the motions and rhythms of your workout.

Indoor cycling is an easy way to get a fantastic workout because it’s fun, unique, and it doesn’t put stress on your body. It’s a must-try for all fitness fanatics and beginners alike, and a perfect way to start working out if you like to push your limits.

“Indoor cycling is perfect if you’re the type

of person who likes a hard workout, but also enjoys setting your own pace.”

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FEEL GREAT

MONSTER RACES ECCENTRIC RACES TAKE ATHLETICS TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND THROW SOME OBSTACLES IN THE WAY—LITERALLY story by Camille Bachrach // illustrations by Shirley Chang

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arbed wire, paint, cargo nets, fire, or even close contact with electrical obstacles are the last things you would expect to come across when you sign up to run a 5K, 10K, or a 10-mile race, but with unconventional races becoming more popular, these obstacles are exactly what you should expect.

The Warrior Dash, Spartan Sprint, Color Run, and Tough Mudder are a few of the runs that allow athletes to break out of the usual road-based races they sign up for. These races test the athletes’ limits

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so they can push their bodies to the extreme or put themselves in an unusual racing situation that is new and exciting.

According to the Warrior Dash website, the race is 3.4 miles with 12 obstacles that include trenches, fire, mud, chains, a pitfall, and more, but don’t let the relatively short distance fool you – this is a seriously gruesome race.

Bria Morse, a junior nutrition science major at Syracuse University, has successfully completed the Warrior Dash, Spartan Sprint, and the Labrador

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

Mountain run. The Warrior Dash was the first eccentric race she ran.

“You have to push yourself,” Morse says. “There was a vertical cargo net to climb up and you flip yourself over the top. There were so many people going up and over at the same time that I froze at the top.”

Even though she froze mid-obstacle, according to Morse, everyone around her stopped to encourage her and help her get over the net to make sure she was pushing her limits, because that’s what the race is all about.

A moment that stuck out for Morse was during the Spartan Sprint, when she had to climb over cars, jump over fire, throw javelins, climb under barbed wire, and carry sandbags up a hill – definitely not your average run in the park.

“You have to take it all as it comes,” Morse says. “Leaping over fire just makes you feel cool.”

The Tough Mudder, which is a 10- to 12-mile team race that boasts about being probably the toughest event on the planet. It features a fire walk, a cage crawl, a mud mile, an arctic ice bath, and 32 more obstacles to conquer within the physically demanding race.

For the Tough Mudder, Erin Walsh, a junior television, radio, and film major at SU, did a lot of CrossFit and ran a couple of times a week in order to prepare.

Walsh liked that one of the mottos of the race was, “It isn’t a race, it’s a challenge,” so her speed didn’t concern her as much as her strength, stamina, and teamwork.

“I learned a lot about myself and my potential,” Walsh says. “I’m proud that I was able to run over 11 miles in one day all while tackling difficult and even dangerous obstacles.”

That sense of accomplishment and the rewarding experience felt when finishing the race made Walsh realize racing is not only a great workout for your body, but also for your mind. With surprise

Tough Mudder Walsh recommends doing CrossFit and running several times a week to get in shape for a Tough Mudder. She also suggests that runners drink tons of water in the weeks leading up to the race to stay hydrated.

Walsh also advises signing up as soon as possible.

“Groupon has discounted rates and signing up is the hardest part because you’re making the commitment to participate [in the race],” she says.

The Tough Mudder, Walsh says, is for anyone that is interested in challenging themselves mentally and physically.

obstacles at every race, Walsh learned the importance of teamwork.

“Everyone was helping the people around [them] regardless if they knew each other,” Walsh says. “It felt as though everyone was on the same team.”

The Color Run features the obstacle of having to run a 5K race while having paint thrown at you from the spectators and fellow runners. Upon completion, a music festival is held to celebrate everyone’s accomplishments.

“It was so fun and not scary at all,” says Olivia Bowser, an SU sophomore and marketing major. “The paint concept seemed so cool and different [from other races].”

Bowser says she would recommend this race to people who are interested in switching it up and adds that it doesn’t require much training if you are a regular runner.

All of these uncommon races offer runners a break from their routine, a chance to work as a team, and present them with challenges that they wouldn’t get on the treadmill or at a conventional road race.

“The experience taught me that I can improve,” Morse says. “Just going to the gym everyday doesn’t mean I can handle all the dynamics thrown at me. That’s why it’s fun. I don’t get to climb things [or] have it be socially acceptable to be covered in mud every day.”

Spartan Race and Warrior Dash For Morse, she focused a lot on increasing her mileage on inclines, and incorporating more weights and squats into her workouts, to make sure she was working her full body in order to be best prepared for the tough challenges in the race. On days that she didn’t run, Morse worked with a punching bag to change it up and keep training.

Color Run Bowser ran three miles four times a week to prepare for this race. She says it did not take intense training, since the race was not very long, making it perfect for beginner runners.

Her best advice is to just enjoy the race and to not take it too seriously; it’s a perfect run to just have fun with.

FEEL GREAT

Mother Nature’s Gym WTH’s guide to working out in the great outdoors

story by Sarah Agate // photos by Emily Hinton

W

hen the snow finally melts and the sidewalks are cleared, running outside can be far more exciting than going to the gym. However, sometimes this kind of running can get boring, following the same path and using the same muscles day after day. On your next run, try including everyday outdoor objects to enhance your workout.

Stop Sign

Targets: Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads

Whenever you pass a stop sign on your run, try and do 10 high jumps. Stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart and slowly squat. Then spring yourself up into the air as high as you can go, high-fiving the stop sign. Try to land softly on your feet so you don’t hurt any of your muscles or joints.

Swing

Target: Chest

If you run past a playground and see a swing, stop and do 10 push-ups. Put your feet up on the swing and place your hands on the ground. Slowly lower yourself into a push-up and then return to the starting position.

Low Tree Branch

Targets: Back and Shoulders

If you pass a branch low enough to reach and strong enough to hold you up, stop and do 10 pullups. Use your arm muscles to pull your head above the branch and slowly bring yourself back down.

Monkey Bars

Target: Abdominals

If you find a playground on your run, look for a set of monkey bars and hang from one of them to complete 15 hanging knee tucks. Use your stomach muscles to pull your knees as close up to your chest as you can.

Biker

Target: Cardio

When a biker passes you, give yourself a little extra push in your run and try to sprint for 20 seconds.

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

Park Bench

Target: Triceps

Every time you pass a park bench, stop and do 15 tricep dips. Sit on the bench with your hands on either side of you holding the bench. Slide your butt off the bench so your arms are holding you up. Slowly bend your elbows lowering yourself towards the ground. Then lift yourself back up, straightening your arms, and returning to the starting position.

Building Wall

Targets: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads

Use the wall of a building to complete 15 wall squats. Stand with your back against the wall and slowly lower yourself so your back is flat and your thighs are parallel to the ground. Hold this pose for 30 seconds and then return to standing.

FEEL GREAT

Soothe the Soreness

THERAPIES AND REMEDIES THAT WILL HELP EASE YOUR ACHING MUSCLES story by Fatima Bangura // photo by Laura Palladino

“No pain, no gain,” echoes in the back of David Jackson’s mind as he lifts 250 pounds. Jackson, a freshman history and secondary education major at Syracuse University, hits the Archbold gym five days a week for 90 minutes a day. After working out, he experiences painful aches in his lower back and legs. Jackson stated that “stretching, stretching, and stretching” was the only method that could ease his muscles. Although stretching did not completely eliminate the sensation, it did provide some relief.

Although it can be painful, muscle soreness isn’t always a negative sensation. For some people, soreness is a bittersweet reward after a high-activity total body workout, but extensive strain on certain muscles can lead to painful and chronic soreness.

There are a collection of things that trigger muscle soreness. The most common causes are tension, stress, overuse, and minor injuries. This type of pain is usually localized, affecting a single muscle or part of the body. At first the pain can go unnoticed by the individual, but soon this tension will affect the individual’s overall disposition. Luckily, there are a few methods anyone can use to treat these throbbing pains.

DON’T ELIMINATE ELECTROLYTES

Karl Sterling, a sophomore nutrition major at SU, doesn’t think diet affects muscle soreness, but believes dehydration can lead to the problem. “If you are not going to the gym, not working out, and not using your muscles differently than usual and you have muscle soreness, you may be dehydrated,” he says. “You might not be getting enough electrolytes. They are really important for your overall balance of your body, and muscle function.”

Electrolytes are vital to the functionality of your muscles.

Bottled drinks such as Gatorade and Vitamin Water are known for their high concentration of electrolytes and vitamins. In more concise terms, Sterling highlights that poor nourishment of micronutrients cause muscle soreness. He defines micronutrients as minerals, vitamins, and water.

SOAK WITH EPSOM SALTS

Placing hot rags with Epsom salts wrapped inside works to loosen muscles and relieve tension. The salts contain magnesium, a mineral that is essential to the body and can be absorbed through the skin, providing faster results. According to an article by Eric Brown, a writer for the LIVESTRONG website, “The mineral helps relax skeletal muscles by flushing lactic acid buildup in the muscles, which may occur during physical exertion, such as a vigorous workout.”

CONQUER WITH CAFFEINE

Head over to Starbucks after your work out. A new study conducted by Harvard Medical School shows that caffeine can be a brew to promote healthy muscles. According to WebMD, “It works by blocking adenosine, a chemical released by your body in response to injury. Just be careful not to overdo this one, as too much caffeine can cause muscle spasms.” Also, a study from the U.S. National Library of Medicine concluded that consuming caffeine immediately before a resistance training enhances performance. This decreased sense of soreness may allow individuals to increase the number of training sessions in a given time period.

CHERRY JUICE

You won’t need a spoonful of sugar to help this medicine go down! Tart cherry juice has rapidly become one of the hottest super foods, thanks to its high level of antioxidants (even more than pomegranates!). It contains protective antioxidants called anthocyanins that minimize inflammation, reduce muscle damage, and limit muscular pain. Try adding a splash to your post-workout smoothie.

CREATINE

Experiments have shown that the intensity and duration of muscle discomfort is lessened with creatine. It speeds up the healing process. According to Brown, “creatine is an amino acid whose job in your body is to funnel energy to your cells, particularly that of your muscles. So more creatine in your system makes for more energy both for building and repairing those biceps you’ve been working so hard on.”

DRINKING WATERMELON

Who knew that eating this sweet summer fruit could actually help reduce muscle soreness? A new study found that an amino acid called L-citrulline is highly present in the large fruit.

The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, states the amino acid has been used as a supplement for decades and is thought to improve athletic performance.

“Drinking [or eating] it may help your muscles get more oxygen, which means they can repair themselves faster,” reported Kenny Thapoung for Women’s Health.

You no longer have to live with the annoying discomfort of muscle stiffness. Follow these simple tips and tricks to ease and avoid muscle soreness. Remember to always stretch before and after working out and listen to your body. Taking care of your body inside and out can drastically improve your mood and productivity.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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TURN UP

TO SLIM

DOWN with Hailey Temple

story by Gabby Amado // photos by Amanda Piela Ever feel like some of your goals are too far out of reach?

It may seem like you have a long way to go to achieve what you want, but your goals may be a lot closer than you think. Hailey Temple’s killer legs and slim waist scream “runner’s body.” With small goals, Hailey achieved her goal of being in the best shape of her life much more quickly than she would have thought.

Hailey had always struggled with her weight. In high school, she was a figure skater and ran cross-country but even as an active woman, she was always bigger than her friends.

A popular saying goes, “it’s not what’s on the outside that matters but what is on the inside that counts,” but Hailey was tired of her exterior and interior speaking two different languages. She is a motivated, athletic, and driven young woman and she wanted her appearance to reflect that.

Hailey decided to make a promise to herself to begin watching what she ate and making workouts a part of her daily routine. On December 26, 2012, she officially marked the beginning of her journey to lose 40 pounds. Enough was enough and it was time to turn up and slim down.

Turn Down Your Excuses

The right time is now — not tomorrow, not next semester, and not next year. This was the realization that Hailey came to her freshman year when she and her father, a physician, decided to tackle her weight issues head on and with full force. Hailey’s family has a history of weight-related problems, from diabetes to heart disease. She knew that her personal weight struggle was more than just a matter of appearance but a matter of health, and that motivated her even more.

One of the most unexpected things Hailey learned during her journey was the importance of using the resources around her. Right on campus, there are people who help students during their weight loss journey. Hailey not only used those resources but encouraged her friends to use them too.

Counselors are a great resource to use to discuss confidence issues that come with weight issues and nutritionists are trained to design meal plans that work for every individual.

“It’s amazing to talk to people who understand your ultimate goal and have the tools to help you achieve it,” says Hailey.

No weight loss journey is the same, but these professionals are here to make your journey a successful one. So turn down your excuses, the time is now and the resources are here to help you every step of the way.

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WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

FEEL GREAT Turn Up Your Workouts

According to Hailey, the key to loving exercise is to find an activity you enjoy and to stick with it. Do not look at working out as a chore — look at it as a time set aside for yourself.

Working out is an amazing way to release your stress and Hailey has learned to look at it as “her time.”

Hailey’s therapeutic workout of choice is running. Dating back to her high schools days, running has been an activity great not only for Hailey’s physical health but her mental heath as well.

Although Hailey prefers running outside to running on a treadmill, when she does run indoors she uses interval-training techniques to keep her body occupied and challenged. Hailey does not back down from pushing herself to reach her fullest potential, so her latest endeavor has been training for her very first half marathon.

She says that she sees improvements in her running times and stamina each and every day and that seeing these constant improvements keeps her motivated to continue.

“I am doing this because I want to live a healthy lifestyle,” she says. “In the scheme of things, they might look skinny but I know I am feeding my body better and that satisfaction should be victory enough.”

The key to not only starting your weight loss journey but also maintaining your motivation is setting smalls goals. Hailey

Turn Down Your Cravings

Eating healthy is a difficult task for many people. Eating healthy in college — a place where Starbucks, beer, and Chipotle may be your three main food groups — is even more difficult.

Is it worth it? That’s Hailey’s key to eating healthy while at school. And she has concluded that 9 out of 10 times, the answer is no — the pizza or that chocolate bar is not worth it. “Food is our body’s fuel,” she says, “and we should be fueling it all day.”

Hailey strongly stands by the importance of breakfast. You can’t start the day without waking up your body and giving it the energy it needs. Hailey starts off her day with a yogurt and granola, accompanied by some of her favorite berries.

“A day without breakfast just feels wrong,” she says. “And it sets a fabulous tone for the rest of your day.”

For lunch, Hailey loves a simple wrap or a quick salad, her favorite being Roly Poly salads with the dressing on the side. She

YOU CAN HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT, JUST IN THE RIGHT PORTION SIZE. says wraps and salads are quick but filling and you can get one almost anywhere on campus, from the dining halls to Marshall Street.

For dinner, Hailey cooks herself a piece of chicken with a side salad. She says the key to every meal is serving sizes. “You can have anything you want, just in the right portion size,” says Hailey.

Starting the day off right by feeding your body delicious and nutritious meals, along with lots of snacks is the best way to fuel your body. Turn down your cravings for junk, find the right fuel for your body, and you are on the road to success!

Turn Up Your Attitude

Hailey quickly learned that the journey to weight loss was just as much of a mental process as it was a physical one. Losing weight involves a complete change of attitude towards food and working out, and she was ready for the attitude adjustment.

First and foremost, don’t ever compare yourself to others, says Hailey. She believes that you are going to find people in life who eat unhealthy and are skinnier than you, even after all of your hard work.

says that setting realistic and achievable goals will keep you from being disappointed in yourself. When you achieve the smaller goals, it will keep you wanting more.

One of the smaller goals Hailey set for herself was to fix her daily water intake.

“I would tell myself to have one water bottle finished by 11:00 a.m., then another by 3:00 p.m., and another by 7:00 p.m., and before I knew it, I had consumed all the water I should have,” she says.

Hailey treats weight loss like a game, and who doesn’t like to come out a winner? Turn up your attitude with smaller achievements and the game can be all yours, too.

Turn Down For Nothing

Hailey recently went abroad to Madrid but did not let her new healthy lifestyle impair her experience. Hailey knew that she worked hard to lose the 40 pounds and she was not going to let that hard work go to waste.

“At first I was very anxious about going abroad and worried about throwing all my success away,” Hailey says, “but I realized I am only going to be in Madrid once so I just have to stay happy and keep balanced.”

Hailey did not neglect her taste buds during her semester abroad. She tried everything and anything she wanted but the key was keeping her portions small. Hailey said that in Europe, in general, you are naturally active, constantly walking and sightseeing. By simply keeping an eye on her portions, she was able to not gain weight and have a classic abroad experience.

By setting these small goals and persevering through all of your setbacks, you can accomplish just as much as Hailey did and more. So turn down your excuses, and turn up to make this your healthiest summer yet.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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EAT SMART

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

EAT SMART

ALL ABOUT

ALKALINE

Reboot your body with the Acid Alkaline Diet.

story by // Jocelyn Delaney

“Remove the cause and there are no symptoms to treat.”

That is the basis for the Acid Alkaline Diet, which eliminates acidosis in the body, thus preventing cancer, disease, poor digestion, and infection. According to the Acid Alkaline Association, acidosis is an increased acidity in the blood and other body tissues. It occurs when artery and blood pH falls below 7.25, which corrodes body tissue. Consequently, cellular activities and functions are disrupted.

A lack of oxygen in the body and low acidic arterial pH are both commonly seen traits in cancer patients. A study at UT Southwestern Medical Center shows that oxygen decelerates the growth of cancer. In the study, animals were given an “oxygen challenge,” which required them to inhale oxygen while their tumor was monitored. They found that when given oxygen, tumor growth was delayed. They also discovered that small tumors have more oxygen in them than large tumors, further proving their theory.

Another study in the Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior journal showed that a high, or alkaline, pH creates an environment that disrupts cancer cell growth. Thirty patients

1.

Never eat carbohydrates and acid foods in the same meal. Ptyalin is an enzyme that aids in salivary digestion, but it is destroyed by mildly acidic foods. Avoid eating bread, potatoes, bananas, and other carbohydrates with lemons, limes, oranges, and other sour fruit.

2.

Never eat a concentrated carbohydrate and a concentrated protein at the same meal. Digestion of

protein and carbohydrates is very different and therefore

causes them to interfere with each other. Do not eat nuts,

meat, eggs, or other proteins with bread, cereals, or

potatoes. That means sandwiches are off limits in this diet.

3.

Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal. Proteins of different compositions each call for their own type of digestion. One protein per meal is the rule.

4.

5.

with tumor masses maintained a pH of around 8 and the tumors disappeared. The time it took for the tumor to fully disappear varied for each patient, but they all reported feeling better within 12 to 36 hours.

The Acid Alkaline Diet focuses on combining foods to create and maintain an alkaline pH, which helps to keep oxygen levels in the body high and prevent illness. The diet also eases digestion, which makes it suitable for people with food sensitivity or allergies. Just because two foods have an alkaline pH, they may combine to be alkaline when eaten together, which could create digestion problems and an acidic environment in the body. The diet focuses on the right combinations and balances of alkaline and acidic foods in ten rules.

These combinations of food help ease digestion and ensure that all nutrients and minerals are absorbed. Start by eating 80 percent alkaline foods and 20 percent acidic foods. Getting to know which foods are alkaline and which are acidic will make food combination easier. Slowly transition from focusing on one combination rule per week until you’re able to remember them all.

6.

Do not consume starches and sugars together. When sugar and starch are combined, fermentation occurs, which causes discomfort and a sour stomach. The sugar also impairs digestion of the carbohydrate by inhibiting ptyalin creation, which is essential for starch digestion. Jellies, sugar, honey, and other sugars on bread, cake, and other starches produce the unwanted fermentation.

7.

Eat one concentrated starch food at each meal. Avoid over-consumption of starches as it may lead to fermentation. Try sticking to one carbohydrate per meal.

8.

Eat sugars (fruits) and high-starch foods at separate meals.

Combining sugars from different classifications can cause indigestion because of their different digestive processes.

Avoid eating acidic fruits like grapefruit with sweet fruits like cherries and other starchy foods.

Do not consume proteins with fats. Fatty acids restrict the activity of the gastric glands, making digestion much harder on your body. Avoid using cream, butter, and oil with meat, eggs, cheese, and nuts.

9.

Do not eat acidic fruits with proteins. Acidic fruits hurt protein digestion by decreasing the gastric juices needed for protein digestion. Oranges, tomatoes, lemons, and other sour fruits should not be eaten with meat, eggs, and other proteins. However, these acidic fruits can be eaten with protein fats, like avocados, cheese, or nuts.

10.

Do not consume melons with any other foods. Melons are one of the easiest foods to digest, which is why they should not be combined with other foods. Eat watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe on their own.

Milk is best taken alone, or left alone. Milk doesn’t digest in the stomach, but actually in the duodenum in the small intestine. When milk is in the stomach, it prevents the digestion of other foods because milk acts as a gastric insu- lator, preventing gastric juices from digesting food.

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Tricking your Sweet Tooth

Skinny dessert recipes that taste better than the original. story by Khija Rockett // photos by Emily Hinton

F

ood cravings are endless for most people. One night, you might kill for some Italian food, but two days later, your cravings could completely flip-flop and a burrito would be everything if you could have it right now. Despite these discrepancies in palates, a craving for something sweet and rich is sure to follow most lunches or dinners. Sometimes the urge to eat something sugary trumps desire to eat an actual meal. It’s called a sweet tooth, and it’s that overly satisfying and borderline gluttonous feeling that comes from sinking your teeth into that piece of something sweet you’ve been longing for.

Scientists are in agreement that sugar alters and rewards the brain. National Public Radio, a media organization, has talked to experts who agree that sugar is addictive. Nicole Avena, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, says most Americans are fixated on refined sugars and carbohydrates. “About 11 percent of the population meets the criteria for food addiction,” says Avena.

In evolutionary terms, foods with a

higher kilo caloric density were essential for survival because of the unstable hunter and gatherer diets. Consequently, a sweetness and savoriness preference was developed. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics discusses the possibility of people having a “fat tooth” instead of a sweet tooth. “Research suggests having a fat tooth might stem from fat being associated with satiety or a satisfying feeling of fullness, which can develop as early as infancy or young childhood,” states the Academy’s website.

Jane Burrell Uzcategui M.S., R.D., C.D.N., an instructor in the department of Public Health, Food Studies and Nutrition, and a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, says that a preference for sweet and savory foods is human biology. “The challenging part of being healthy is figuring out how to navigate your environment with your biology,” she says. Uzcategui believes that someone’s environment, or what someone surrounds themself with, results in beneficial or poor decisions making.

“Biology wins and if you are exposed to

whatever you’re driven by, the probability is higher that you will succumb,” stresses Uzcategui. If you are someone who craves sugar or is driven by fatty foods, don’t make it harder on yourself when it comes to managing a healthy diet.

She recommends having the ingredients for healthier dessert alternatives in your kitchen or eating areas. However, avoiding quintessential summer treats like milkshakes, ice cream cones, and sherbet is unrealistic.

“When you do indulge,” says Uzcategui, “make sure you savor and enjoy it; this can be achieved by eating slowly, mindfully, and thinking about how great it is.” Below are three skinny summer dessert recipes if you’d rather opt out of the traditional summer treats.

Yogurt-Fruit Smoothie calories per serving: 183

1 1 1 2 1

cup fat-free milk cup vanilla low-fat yogurt cup pineapple-orange juice cups frozen strawberries banana

In a blender, combine one cup of fat-free milk, one cup of vanilla low-fat yogurt, two cups of sliced strawberries, one banana, and one cup of orange pinapple juice.

Blend until consistency is thick, pour into a glass and enjoy. For a cold smoothie, refrigerate for one hour after blending.

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

EAT SMART

Strawberry Orange Granita calories per serving: 50

1 orange 1 lime ¾ slice pineapple 2 cups sliced strawberries ¼ cup no calorie sweetner ½ cup warm water Dissolve ¼ cup of no calorie sweetner in ½ cup warm water. Peel one orange and one lime. Add the dissolved sugar, orange, lime, ¾ cup sliced pineapple, and 2 cups of sliced strawberries to blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a 9-inch square baking dish, cover and freeze for three hours. Stir well then freeze overnight. Let stand in room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Mousse calories per serving: 147

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted 1 (12.3-ounce) package reduced-fat extra-firm tofu 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 large egg whites 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup water Fat-free whipped topping, thawed (optional) Grated chocolate (optional) Blend ¾ cup melted semisweet chocolate chips and 12.3 oz. reduced-fat extra-firm tofu until smooth.

Place ¼ tsp. salt and 3 large egg whites together in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until thick syrup forms. Pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed.

Gently stir one-fourth of meringue into the tofu mixture; gently fold in remaining meringue. Spoon 1/2 cup mousse into each of 8 (6-ounce) custard cups.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Garnish with whipped topping and grated chocolate, if desired.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

23

FAST FOOD

U.S.A.

L

ong summer road trips and greasy fast food inevitably go hand-inhand. When you’re stuck in the car, stopping at the nearest McDonald’s or other quick food joint can seem like the perfect option on your journey, getting you back on the road in no time. A little trans fat is worth the time and money you’ll save on your journey, right?

Wrong. Eating fast food is likely to leave you feeling drowsy and unsatisfied due to the high levels of refined sugar, sodium, and fat. Fast food will only keep you full for so long, causing you to stop again and consume even more fatty foods. Some fast food places around the country are growing wary of potential dangers from typical fast food and have started offering more nutritious items.

WTH has compiled a list of healthy, convenient, and affordable fast food places around the country so you can maintain a healthy lifestyle no matter where you’re travelling. These alternatives are great for your body and will leave you feeling full far longer than that McDouble.

EVERYWHERE Chipotle: Chipotle, the popular Mexican

restaurant known for their jumbo burritos and buffet-style dining, is actually a healthy option if you order the right thing. Skip the classic burrito (the flour tortilla adds on extra sodium and calories) and select a burrito bowl or salad instead. According to Chipotle’s mission statement, all meat comes from naturally raised animals, and has no added hormones. Fill up on lettuce or fajita vegetables, and trade fatty sour cream for fresh guacamole. Even Chipotle’s salsas are a healthy choice because they’re made with ripe tomatoes, onions, peppers, cilantro, corn, and spices.

Try: Burrito bowl with brown rice, chicken, black beans, fajita veggies, salsa, guacamole

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

A GUIDE TO QUICK AND HEALTHY DINING ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. story by // Nicole Harris illustration by // Shirley Chang

WEST COAST My Fit Foods: If you’re traveling on the West Coast, Syracuse

University sophomore biology major Tiffany Gomez suggests eating at My Fit Foods. With locations in California, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona, My Fit Foods focuses on serving healthy meals to those who don’t have time to cook. “It isn’t really a restaurant - they have ready made meals you can pick up that are healthy,” says Gomez. Many of the meals are gluten free, and they all focus on “lean protein, low glycemic carbohydrates, and heart healthy fats,” according to the My Fit Foods website.

Try: Cast-Iron Salmon, Herb-Roasted Chicken, Korean BBQ Tenderloin, Breakfast Tacos, Veggie pack

EAT SMART Au Bon Pain: Au Bon Pain exists mainly on the East Coast and

offers nutritional salads, wraps, soups, and sandwiches. All products have no trans fat, and the lean meats are all natural with no preservatives. The food is fresh and delicious, and usually under $10.

Try: Classic Chicken Salad sandwich, Thai Peanut Chicken Salad

Wegmans: Fast food joints aren’t the only way to grab a quick

meal on the go. Wegmans, the popular east coast grocery store, offers a variety of relatively inexpensive and healthy pre-prepared items that are easy to eat. “I like getting the homemade subs from Wegmans because they taste more authentic than some of the chain restaurants and have better quality ingredients,” says SU sophomore Jakob Bocianski. Some of the other options include salads, soups, fruit, pasta, Asian cuisine, and chicken. Wegmans strives to use organic, locally grown ingredients in all of its products, so you know you’re eating the freshest food possible.

Try: Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast (with Homestyle Gravy), Ham & Swiss Wrap

MIDWEST Panera Bread: Panera offers a wide

variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches made fresh to order. “Panera differs from other fast food restaurants with fries and other unhealthy things on the side, because at Panera you can get fruit or bread,” says SU sophomore Jakob Bocianski. The items are creative and nutritious, like the Mediterranean Shrimp Couscous Salad and the Tomato Mozzarella Panini. You are also able to place half orders, if you want to mix options or are looking for a light snack. The calorie count of all items is displayed on the menu.

Try: Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT, Mediterranean Veggie sandwich, Fuji Apple with Chicken salad

SOUTH

Jason’s Deli: Jason’s Deli is a food chain in the South and

Mid-Atlantic that’s quickly gaining popularity for its healthy options that don’t compromise taste. The deli was the first chain restaurant in the United States to ban artificial trans fats and high fructose corn syrup from their recipes. Food options include a variety of soups, original salads, pastas, and sandwiches that are all made with organic ingredients.

Try: Wild Salmonwich, Mediterranean Wrap

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25

EAT SMART

SUPER food SMOOTHIES

Treat yourself with these yummy and nutritious delights. story by Zoe Malliaros // photos by Laura Palladino

I

t’s that time of the year again in Siberacuse. It’s hard to get out of bed, let alone find motivation to prepare something healthy to eat for yourself. Food has substantial impact on one’s wellbeing. It’s essential to try and consume natural, nutrientrich ingredients. Not only do super foods reward bodies, but their growing popularity makes them convenient to purchase in any flavor imaginable.

Smoothies made with super foods are an excellent way to obtain proper amounts of vitamins and nutrients. Widely used super food ingredients include coconut oil, chia seeds, flax seeds, spirulina, acai, and goji berries. Fruit and vegetable additions are bonuses. Pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and bananas are among some of the fruits that give off a rich flavor. As for vegetables, some people prefer leafy greens such as spinach and kale because of their nutrients. All of these ingredients are plant-based and rich in all types of nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B-6 and B-12, that are needed for a number of functions in the body.

“We need a wide variety of foods to keep healthy, and this includes micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and phytochemicals in varying degrees,” says Tanya M. Horacek PhD, RD, an associate professor in the department of public health, food studies, and nutrition. These essential elements for our diet can be found in super food smoothies made with ingredients that are plant-based and natural.

26

With growing popularity and demand, super food smoothies are now accessible on the Syracuse University campus. The Marshall Street area, including both Whitman and Marshall Square Mall, has always been a food destination for students. Strong Hearts on the Hill recently opened in Marshall Square Mall.

Its menu includes vegan meals, vegan milkshakes, and a variety of plant-based super food smoothies.

“It’s definitely located in a great place,” says freshman Ashley Summers of Strong Hearts. “There are a number of smoothies to choose from, and I feel so revived even before I’m done.”

Because these smoothies are so rich in vitamins and nutrients, they make a great substitute for a calorie-rich breakfast, or even for lunch if you’re on the go. Any time of day is perfect for a smoothie rich in amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals, as they can reduce the risk of illness.

If you’re interested in making your own, it’s a quick and easy process.

Gather up leafy greens, a liquid base, and your favorite fruits, and you’re good to go. For an extra boost, add chia seeds, hemp protein powder, coconut oil, almond butter, or flax seeds. Super food smoothies are a convenient blend of all the fruits and vegetables that may not commonly eaten by college students, and they work to keep your body as healthy and functional as possible.

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

Peach Coconut Dream The peach coconut dream green smoothie is mildly sweet and perfect for those trying to reduce their sugar intake. Adding a banana to the below ingredients will both enhance the sweetness & add potassium to your smoothie.

Berry Protein Bash The berry protein bash is sure to give you a protein boost! Protein burns slower than carbs, so adding it to smoothies helps prevent blood sugar spikes and hunger pains.

It will also help if you’re working toward a flat belly or building muscles.

Kiwi Strawberry Twist Strawberries, kiwi, and fresh oranges give this green smoothie a sweet flavor that’s loaded with vitamin C.

You’ll need: 2 cups spinach, fresh 1 cup coconut water 2 cups grapes 2 peaches

You’ll need: 2 cups spinach, fresh 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened 1 cup strawberries 1 cup blueberries 1 banana 1/2 cup almonds

You’ll need: 2 cups kale and dandelion greens 2 cups orange juice 2 cups strawberries 2 ripe kiwi 1 banana 1 lemon, squeezed

Directions: Blend spinach and coconut water until smooth. Next add the remaining fruits and blend again. If you want your smoothie to be cold, use at least one frozen fruit or store in your refrigerator after blending.

Directions: Blend spinach and water until smooth. Next add the remaining fruits and blend again. An alternative to almonds is almond meal.

Directions: Blend kale, dandelion greens, and orange juice until smooth. Next, add the remaining fruits and blend again.

If you want your smoothie to be cold, use at least one frozen fruit or store in your refrigerator after blending. TIP – You can keep the kiwi skin on to add an extra nutritional boost of fiber.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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Teatox Takeover The newest lifestyle trend for a healthier, happier you story by // Danielle Hay illustration by // Alyssa Pauker

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

T

eatoxes are the latest trend for people hoping to get in shape or lose weight, without changing their lifestyle. Similar to juice cleansing, teatoxes are designed to help with weight loss and prevent bloating by flushing toxins out of the body and replenishing the digestive system. Tea combinations help to restore balance by cleansing the body and returning it to its natural state. Most tea cleanses are simply an additional component to daily meals and are consumed shortly before or after eating. To simplify the challenge of deciding which teas to explore, teatox.com ranked different teas by customer reviews and the least amount of side effects.

The highest ranked tea was Tiny Tea, a 14-day teatox by Your Tea, followed

by Slimbliss’ 14-day cleanse.

The winning brand, Your Tea, offers a 14-day Tiny Tea detox for $35, and is composed of seven herbs found in traditional Chinese medicine.

Your Tea suggests drinking the tea three times a day, 30 minutes before or after meals in order to achieve optimum results. Tiny Tea helps the digestive system operate more efficiently, allowing the production of red blood cells to occur more easily and fueling the body with more energy.

WTH interviewed Cristina Criado, a junior advertising major at Syracuse University, about her 28-day Tiny Tea detox. She feels satisfied with her detox and stays energized throughout the day. “I feel a burst of energy about 30 minutes after I drink the tea,” says Criado. “This product actually works.” Criado admits that she was hesitant about trying Tiny Tea at first, but after her third week, she felt much less bloated. She also says that she is more active during the day, because of the energy she gained from the tea. Since beginning Tiny Tea, Criado’s severe digestive pains and discomfort have improved immensely. She has noticed weight loss, an increase of energy, a higher-functioning digestive system, and clearer skin. After her 28 days come to an end, Criado says that she will definitely cleanse with this product again.

Slimbliss sells a 14-day herbal loose leaf tea for $19 that aids in weight loss by increasing the digestions of fats and sugars, while decreasing cravings and bloating. The Australian company believes good health starts with good digestion and prides itself on improving your digestive system. The tea is composed of eight different ingredients that emphasize enhanced digestion instead of just weight loss. To enrich your healthy lifestyle, the company advocates a holistic approach by nourishing your body with more nutritious foods as well as tea. You simply drink Slimbliss tea twice a day, for 14 days. Two weeks of boiling water and steeping leaves is all it takes to begin detoxifying your body.

Detox products from Slimbliss and Your Tea can be purchased online in both 14- and 28-day supply packages. Slimbliss also offers a teatox for the common cold and skin health. It’s is your turn, don’t wait to create a healthier you!

GET WELL

GET WELL

every

DROP counts

THE INS AND OUTS OF BLOOD DONATION. story by Caleigh Gran // photos by Amanda Piela

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WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

D

onating blood has been a huge part of Syracuse University sophomore Rob Swanda’s life since he was 16 years old.

“The biggest part of donating is realizing that this is for someone in need,” says Swanda. “I watched family members donate, and when the time came around that I was old enough to, I did as well.”

More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every year due to car accidents, cancer, sickle cell disease, and other lifethreatening conditions. About one pint of blood is collected from each donor, but a car accident victim alone may need up to 100 pints. These patients’ survival is dependent on the generosity of donors like Swanda.

SU hosts blood drives several times throughout the year, so whenever a student feels inclined to save a life, the opportunity is available. However, many people tend to be wary of the process, worrying that it will take too long or that they’ll be too dizzy afterwards to concentrate in class. But the side effects of donating are minimal. Swanda says that he has never felt dizzy or lightheaded after donating. If you do get dizzy, it’s recommended to rest your head between your knees or to lay down with your feet raised. Some other common side effects include chills and tingling of the lips, but they pass quickly.

“They always provide the donors with food and drinks afterwards to ensure that you leave in the same condition you came in with (just one pint of blood less),” says Swanda.

To help minimize any side effects, drink plenty of water before you donate. It also helps to wear comfortable clothing, bring a friend, and try to stay relaxed. Don’t forget to bring your I.D. and a list of medications you are currently taking.

Additionally, it’s important to be aware of the three different types of donations that are available: whole, platelet, and plasma. Whole blood donations are the standard type and take about 8 to 10 minutes. If choosing this method, you can donate again every 56 days. Platelet donations tend to take about an hour and a half longer. A machine collects platelets from your blood and then returns the rest of the sample to your body.

Plasma donations, which are collected simultaneously with platelet donations, are similar to whole blood donations except for the fact that you can donate every 28 days and get paid $10 to $50, depending on the organization that collects your blood.

As poor college students, who wouldn’t want to get money for sitting in a chair for an hour?

Even though the donation itself only takes about 10 to 15 minutes, the whole process can last between one to two hours.

When you arrive at the blood drive, you may have to wait in line until you can register. Swanda says that he has waited in line for two hours before, and suggests that you bring a book or homework to do while you wait. When registering, they’ll want to know your health history and check your blood pressure,

“

temperature, pulse, and hemoglobin level. It’s during this part of the process where they’ll decide if you’re eligible to donate or not.

Unfortunately, people get turned away more often than you might think. There are a lot of restrictions that can prohibit you from donating, antibiotics being one of them. Even though blood drive professionals want to collect as much as they can, unhealthy samples pose serious risks for the recipients. Other common restrictions include: fevers, anemia, asthma, high blood pressure, recent vaccinations, Lyme disease, pregnancy, heart murmur/disease, and previous or current sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, you have to wait 12 months after getting a tattoo before you can donate blood, and you have to wait several months if you recently traveled outside of the country.

So if you just came back from studying abroad, you’ll have to wait a about a year before donating. If you’re considering donating and have a condition you think might make you ineligible, consult a physician.

Once it’s all said and done, your job is over. After the blood drive workers collect your donation, they store it and process it in their computer system. To be safe, they test the blood before distributing it to patients. If a sample comes back positive for something, they will discard it and alert the donor.

This past February marks Swanda’s eleventh time donating blood in the Sadler lounge. He hopes to fill up his donor card to reach 16 donations before he graduates. “I think of the slight pinch of the needle and realize how small that pain is compared to someone who needs the donation to survive,” says Swanda.

“You never know when you could be on the other end of the donation.”

I THINK OF THE SLIGHT PINCH OF THE NEEDLE AND REALIZE HOW SMALL THAT

PAIN IS COMPARED TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THE DONATION TO SURVIVE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU COULD BE ON THE OTHER END OF THE DONATION.

”

-ROB SWANDA WINTER 2013 // WHAT THE HEALTH 31

GET WELL

Silent Suffering An exploration of the collegiate population that suffers from mental and emotional disorders story by // Madysan Foltz

“College depresses you the f*ck out,” says Keely Sullivan, a sophomore broadcast journalism and French major at Syracuse University. “It’s terrifying because you’re in a new environment, and there’s all these expectations of you; they’re unrealistic. You’re supposed to make a hundred friends, you’re supposed to be having the time of your life, and if you don’t then you think something is wrong with you, which makes everything worse.”

Keely is not alone – mental and emotional problems run rampant across American college campuses. These problems become even more prevalent as students handle an exorbitant amount of responsibilities and pressures.

On the surface, the everyday stresses of college can weigh down on students.

Rigorous course loads, extracurricular activities, meetings, practices, rush events, family struggles, personal issues, and a myriad of other things combine to create an impossibly stressful environment. And for the first time in their lives, college students have to deal with these problems without a safety net. The onslaught of responsibilities can create difficulties for the young adults or bring latent problems to the surface.

“You see things in a tunnel vision, that you can’t really escape, and no matter how many times people try to show you

32

reality, your mind is going to warp that around. You become a prisoner in your own mind,” Sullivan says.

According to Diane Wiener, director of the Disability Culture Center, 11 percent of all college students have disabilities, and the most common disabilities are psychiatric (i.e. depression, bipolar), learning disabilities (i.e. dyslexia, dyscalculia), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Wiener

You become a prisoner in your own mind. says that the numbers don’t give a fully accurate representation of the problem, since most students don’t talk about their problems because of the stigma that surrounds it.

Take the following, for example. Say you had a few too many drinks out on Marshall Street while wearing five-inch stilettos, and, being the klutz that you are, you stumble on the cobblestoned streets and break your ankle. If you walked into a hospital with a right ankle three times the size of your left, nurses would rush to help you and your teachers would understand the next day. However, if you called in sick to work because

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

you’d fallen into a deep depression and had suicidal thoughts, bosses and coworkers, without any documentation, would be wary and view it as an excuse or fallacy.

The stigma lies in the fact that people often have misconceptions about what it means to have a mental disability or handicap. According to Wiener, many people stigmatize others because they do not understand their affliction.

“I think that what is called mental illness, is sometimes an interaction with people that have been stigmatized. It can be addressed very efficiently and effectively if we all just realize we’re different from each other,” Wiener said.

“What’s stigmatized is usually about fear and assumptions which are negative stereotypes, and belief that those with it are likely to be difficult or violent.

But actually they are more likely to be victims.”

People tend to have a certain image in their mind of who a person is, but more often than not, people with mental and emotional problems are just as normal as anyone else. Take SU sophomore and policy studies major Jesper Van Den Bergh, for example. Van Den Bergh is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the on-campus mental health organization known as NAMI. Van Den Bergh is an active member of the

Over 40% of American college students reported feeling symptoms of depression.

More than two out of every three young people do not talk about mental health problems.

25% of college students suffer from a diagnosible mental illness.

Syracuse community both on and off campus. On the hill, he is the director for the architecture acting troupe and pledging Phi Sigma Pi fraternity. Off the hill, he is a volunteer at the VA Medical Center, and a policy studies consultant for the Syracuse fire department. In what little free time he has left, he chooses to be a freelance actor.

At first glance, you wouldn’t guess that Van Den Bergh has experienced mental health issues of his own. But ever since he was little, Van Den Bergh says he has been more in tune with his emotions than most people. He dealt with depression throughout high school, and more recently, he deals with suicidal thoughts.

“There was this one moment when I was looking at a steak knife, I wondered, how would this feel if this was cutting through my wrists right now?” says Van Den Bergh.

“After I looked at the steak knife, I just looked at my mom and I was just like, ‘Jesus Christ. I could never do that to my mom.’”

Van Den Bergh says that, in his experience, the problem lies in the fact that we don’t talk about the problems at college. And let them blow up in our faces.

But Wiener says that we need to be cautious about how we are talking. Our

generation is prone to exaggerating situations and speaking emotionally in the heat of the moment. When we’re stressed or overwhelmed, phrases like “I want to f*cking kill myself” and “I think that [enter mind-numbing assignment here] just gave me a mental illness” easily roll off the tongue. But as harmless as it seems, Wiener says phrases such as these trivialize the problem and even exacerbate the social divide. She proposes looking at the way you talk to one another in order to fix this.

“I am in no way trying to police what people say, but I do think you need to be careful. Don’t just not be anti-Semitic, don’t just not be racist, because I’m standing here. What will it take for you to say, ‘Hey, you know what? That really sucks that you’d say that,’” says Wiener. “It’s really about changing consciousness.”

So what can you do to help yourself?

According to Sullivan, one of the biggest hindrances from receiving help is the individual. She says her inability to face her problems was what stopped her from getting help.

The answer may be to start the conversation, and we must start it now.

Infographic stats from: Borchard, T. (2010). Statistics About College Depression. Psych Central.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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rotect Our Breasts This new campus organization is dedicated to protecting you against the harmful and potentially cancer-causing elements found in everyday products. story by // Meghan Walsh photos courtesy of // Ellie Prather

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

A

fter rummaging through her bag, Ellie Prather lifts a clear Ziploc bag out of her backpack, and places it on the table in front of us. Inside, are 20, maybe 30, small lip balms with lilac caps, and lemon yellow and orange-swirled packaging. She reaches in, lifts one out, and hands me one of them. Closer up, I can see the words “Badger Lip Balm” under a small portrait of a badger raising a magic wand in its tiny left paw. Beside this peculiar image is a circle, half green and half white, which reads USDA Organic. The lip balm is just one of the products deemed safe by Protect Our Breasts after passing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) and National Sanitation Foundation’s (NSF) standards.

Protect Our Breasts is an on-campus student organization coming to Syracuse University that is dedicated to raising awareness about environmental toxins in products that can contribute to breast cancer. The American Cancer Society estimated that in the past year, 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed and estimated that 39,620 women died from the disease. According to Protect Our Breasts, as much as 70 to 80 percent of cases are predominantly unexplained.

With so many inexplicable cases of breast cancer, raising awareness of preventative methods may be one of the keys in lowering the rates of diagnoses and mortalities.

In order to increase awareness among the Syracuse University community, Ellie Prather, a junior majoring in child and family studies, has been working to bring the newest chapter of Protect Our Breasts to campus. The organization hopes to open up the conversation on college campuses and inspire women to make safer choices when it comes to what they put on their body.

Prather admits that it was only recently that she started to become aware of the dangers inside her makeup and feels she is proof of just how little awareness there really is on the safety of cosmetics. It was her own misconceptions that motivated her to

GET WELL start a new chapter on campus. “On our Facebook page we say ‘every like is a life saved,’ and that’s not necessarily true, but it’s the idea that if you can become more aware yourself, you could potentially save your own life,” says Prather.

Even if you eat right, exercise, and limit alcohol consumption, you still could put your health at risk by using products filled with toxins that could cause cancer, as well as cause a variety of other health issues including skin and respiratory allergies.

Consumers trust that the regulatory agencies put in place by the government, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), regulate the products that they put on their skin and use daily. In reality, though, the responsibility for the safety of cosmetics is in the hands of the companies and individuals who manufacture them. According to the FDA, there are no specific tests required to demonstrate the safety of the product, and even worse, cosmetic companies are not required to share their safety information with the FDA. Protect Our Breasts, originally founded at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in February 2013, was created by Cynthia Barstow after winning her own fight against breast cancer.

Barstow is a professor at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and is the executive director of Protect Our Breasts. Since the organization was established, it has spread to Trinity College, and now to Syracuse University. “Our hope for Syracuse is that it’s going to become one of our largest chapters.

We want it to boom. We want it to take off. We have a great mission, a great message, and a great team behind everything that we do and we’re extremely passionate about it,” says Alexis Bermingham, a senior at UMass Amherst and member of the executive board responsible for chapter expansion.

It is estimated that only seven percent of the 85,000 chemicals in use have even been reviewed. While this fact alone is discomforting, it is even more worrisome knowing that skin absorbs as much as 60 percent of what gets put on it.

According to EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, a database that provides ingredient risk information for personal care products, a Revlon lipstick contained propylparaben, a highly hazardous hormone disrupter that can cause developmental and reproductive toxicity, and has also been found in breast tumor tissue.

There seems to be a bit of discrepancy, however, with the research supporting toxin avoidance and what’s being focused on inside the doctor’s office. Counsel on chemicals within cosmetics comes low on the list, as there are so many other things to talk to patients about, explained Barbara Feurstein, M.D., an endocrinologist at SUNY Upstate Medical University who was recently certified in integrative medicine. “I’m very much pro take your health in your hands, but that’s just my biased view.

I totally think we have to eat as well as we can and avoid all the toxins we can, but I can tell you that where I work, a lot of people aren’t as concerned with all of that who are giving out health care advice,” says Feurstein.

Protect Our Breast’s message applies to all the women at Syracuse University, as well as any person whose family or friends have been affected by breast cancer. Elizabeth Dietrich, a junior studying information technology at SU, expressed concern that the ingredients in her makeup could be a cause to the same disease her grandmother fought and beat. “It’s scary to think about because they seem safe but if they’ve been linked to breast cancer that’s a little terrifying and maybe we should be giving it a little more attention,” says Dietrich.

While the idea of throwing away your normal products and finding healthier alternatives seems daunting, change doesn’t need to be drastic. Prather finds motivation in the idea that her work may save a life, and just by being more aware of everyday choices and spreading the word, you can potentially change lives and change the industry.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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GET WELL

OVERSENSITIZED:

TECHNOLOGY’S EFFECT ON

HAPPINESS Unplug and reboot by disconnecting yourself from the technology that’s weighing you down. story by // Sarah Sherlock

1 How to Unplug in 5 Easy Steps:

36

The presence of smartphones has become unavoidable.

As a pivotal form of communication, smartphones enable easy access to texting, emailing, and social media, linking yourself to the world around you. The possibilities can be endless. However, these possibilities have created a reliance on smartphones across the board, which could be decreasing your happiness.

Although smartphones may seem like a harmless form of communication, there are repercussions that can arise from over usage. It is very likely that your beloved iPhones could be acting as a veiled source of stress. According to a March 2013 article in the Huffington Post, feeling a sense of urgency to respond to a text or email the second you receive it is a sign that your smartphone is stressing you out. Feeling this sense of urgency can leave you distracted and preoccupied, causing you to grow more dependent on your phone.

When you are reliant on on your mobile device, your mind tends to always be elsewhere. This can have a drastic effect on schoolwork. If you find yourself anxiously waiting for class to end or have the urge to check your phone during class, your phone is negatively impacting you. Chances are, what you are learning in class is far more important than checking your iPhone.

Smartphone usage is also interfering with social interaction and decreasing the quality of interpersonal relationships.

People have replaced face-to-face interactions with texting and social media. This could potentially have a very negative effect on our generation and the way we communicate with one another. It’s time to think twice about how your smart phone is controlling you. Here are a few tips to help you unplug and detox.

Give yourself space from your technology

2

Become More Tech Efficient

●

Don’t use your phone as an alarm clock; instead, invest in a separate one. That way, you won’t find yourself waking up in the middle of the night tempted to check your phone nearly as often.

● Turn of social media notifications on your phone as they intensify feelings of FOMO, or the “fear of missing out,” by allowing the feeling that these updates require your immediate attention.

●

Stop yourself from checking social media sites or emails as soon as you wake up. Wait until your morning routine is finished first, so you will have the time to fully wake up and feel energized for the day.

● Organize your email with separate folders.

Your main inbox will be less bombarded if certain types of emails are automatically sorted, and you will feel less overwhelmed.

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

● Try working offline as often as possible; it will likely increase your productivity.

Use an old-fashioned

ALARM CLOCK

instead of your phone!

Instead of relying on your phone, jot down your ideas in a NOTEBOOK!

Turn off your PHONE NOTIFICATIONS to keep from worrying about missing out!

3

Manage Expectations, Most Importantly Your Own

● Embrace FOMO! Although the idea may seem crazy, and yes, you may be less likely to miss out the next sensational vine or meme, you will feel less stressed overall. Instead of relying on your phone, begin jotting ideas in a notebook. This will help you gather your thoughts more cohesively.

4

5

Experiment Going Free

Leave Your Phone Behind

● Take a short break from your phone.

Whether that means turning off the push notifications or actually powering off your device, the detox will do you some good.

● Give yourself the validation and permission to unplug. Allow yourself to revel in leaving your phone behind the next time you decide ● Set up boundaries. Turning your phone off to take a trip to the grocery store or hit up an event on campus. Odds at a certain time each night or just one are you will find yourself feeling day on the weekend can be empowering oddly free without the burden of and effective for your mood. This will allow you to take a step back from all the your smart phone weighing you social media and texting giving you some down. time to reboot.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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FEEL GREAT

Mayra (left): nice asana jacket in lullaby. $118.

Zoe (middle): forme jacket II in black. $108. cool racerback in white. $42.

Katie (right): post savasana pullover in heathered medium gray. $108.power y tank in white. $52.

PAWS FOR A MOMENT... to check out lululemon’s new summer looks photos by // Laura Palladino & Emily Hinton

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

LEFT - Colton: tactic jacket in black. $128. metal vent tech short sleeve in heathered lakeside blue. $64. kung fu pant in heathered gray. $98.

RIGHT - Kristine (left): long sleeve RUN: swiftly tech in white. $68.

Sarah (right): voyager pullover in black. $88. cool racerback in lullaby. $42. ebb to street pant in heathered medium gray. $92.

Sarah: lightened up pullover in silver spoon petite fleur. $128. RUN: swiftly racerback in heathered white. $48. speed tight *full-on luxtreme in black. $98.

Katie:flip your dog long sleeve in heathered black. $68. power y tank in white. $52. wunder under pant in black. $82.

Mayra: no limits tank in petite floral. $64. in the flow crops II in heathered black. $78. jacket seen above.

Kristine: RUN: pace-setter skirt in angel blue. $58. top seen above.

Zoe: RUN: speed shorts in lullaby $54. jacket and top seen above.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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Sarah C. (top): voyager pullover in black. $88.

Sarah B. (bottom): lightened up pullover in silver spoon petite fleur. $128.

RIGHT - Katie (left): power y tank in white. $52. top and pants p. 39.

Colton (middle): p. 39 Mayra (right): p. 39

40

WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

WINTER 2013 // WHAT THE HEALTH

41

Colton: p. 39

Sarah B.: 42p. 40

WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

All: p. 39

Zoe (left): p. 39 Sarah (right): p. 39

Colton: p. 39

WINTER 2013 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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FEATURES EAT SMART

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WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

story by // Alexa Voss photos by // Emily Hinton and Laura Palladino

Imagine.

You walk into a convenience store and immediately you’re bombarded by messages to “tighten your tummy,” “burn more fat,” “erase those bulges,” and “drop 20 pounds in two weeks.” When you get home, you turn on your TV only to have a size-zero model tell you that if you invest in this set of workout tapes and 28 days, you too, can have six-pack abs and killer calves. And before you fall asleep that night, you flip through a magazine only to see a five-page spread telling you how many calories you have to cut in order to get your “best bod ever.”

Everywhere we go, the media’s message is constant: we can always be better. You can feel it when you look at magazine covers, and when you glance at any billboard. It’s there when you change the channel on the TV or listen to a commercial on the radio. There is a constant pressure to change something about yourself; there’s always that nagging feeling that something about you is not good enough. But maybe, just maybe, society might be starting to see a change.

WINTER 2013 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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FEATURES

I

n January 2014, Aerie, American Eagle’s sister store for lingerie, came out with an ad campaign called Aerie REAL that promised to feature completely un-retouched models. In a statement the company released in January, they said that the goal of the campaign was to challenge supermodel standards by using real, un-airbrushed girls in the ads for their latest collection of bras, undies, and apparel. Founded in 2006, the company has a target audience of 15 to 21-year-old high school and college-aged women, who are very vulnerable to the bombardment of messages that women need to be thin and beautiful to look “normal.”

These messages have a cost. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), up to 24 million Americans of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder.

Of these 24 million, ANAD reports that 95 percent of them are between the ages of 12 and 25. In another frightening study, ANAD collected survey data from 185 female students on a college campus. 58 percent of them felt pressure that they had to be a certain weight, and of the 83 percent that dieted in order to lose weight, only 44 percent were considered to be at a normal weight.

The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) says that these individuals’ struggle with weight and dissatisfaction with their bodies is the best-known contributor to the development of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

According to NEDA, girls begin to express

46

concerns about their body shape or weight as young as six years old, and by the time they reach elementary school, 40 to 60 percent of them are concerned about becoming “too fat.” So when a company like Aerie comes along with ads that contain the message, “Time to think real. Time to get real. No supermodels.

No retouching. Because… the real you is sexy,” it might just make these young girls take a second look at themselves.

The campaign Aerie REAL is following in the footsteps of brands like Dove, Pantene, and Special K, who all promoted body positivity ad campaigns in 2013.

However, though they all encouraged women to embrace their imperfections, Aerie REAL sets itself apart by being one of the first campaigns to target a younger audience. Elizabeth Lillie, an SU sophomore and model, thinks that the campaign is a great initiative and hopes that other companies follow suit.

Lillie started modeling at 13 years old, when she auditioned for a Microsoft campaign in New York City. After successfully getting booked there along with 20 other kids, Lillie later interned for a fashion designer who asked her to model his collection in New York Fashion Week. When asked about the media’s current portrayal of women, Lillie agreed that the standard set by fashion and advertising industries is impossible for any normal person to achieve.

“First of all, they’re using women that are from the most elite range of beautiful women that you could possibly choose from, like the top models in the

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

world,” says Lillie. “And then not only are they using them and beautiful actresses, then they’re Photoshopping them to be even more perfect. And then they’re distributing it to the masses who have no shot of looking like that.”

Having been the subject of many photo shoots herself, Lillie says that most of the photographers she works with don’t usually show her the original copies of the pictures they take. “They’ll send everything to you once it has been Photoshopped and edited and you look perfect,” says Lillie. “And they’ll be like, ‘Oh, look how great you look!’”

Though she has never been upset enough by the final copy of a picture to ask the photographer or publisher not to print it, she has noticed that some photographers, while editing, will most commonly change her skin tone to lighten it and make it appear to be more even.

According to fashion photographer and first-year SU graduate student Altan James, every prolific or well-known photographer has his or her own style of editing that depends on the kind of picture he or she is taking. For example, James explains if you are taking a corporate headshot, there probably isn’t very much editing needed, except for maybe adjusting the contrast or color. However, if a photographer is doing a beauty or fashion shoot, James says that is where a gray line is drawn.

“There’s a tool on Photoshop called liquefy: it’s when you bring in the pixels to basically make you look thinner and more proportionate,” says James. He says

he has seen some photographers bring a model’s eyes closer together or bring her nose out a little bit in order to make her face more symmetrical. Having worked with Jeff Licata, a famous photographer, and interned at Harper’s Bazaar, James has seen many instances of this.

However, James makes sure to always show the models how they’re doing by showing them the proofs on his camera as he takes them. “If they don’t see how they’re looking, then they’re not confident,” says James. “The best way to get a successful photo shoot is confidence, because when you take your first 50 shots of them, they’re going to be kind of closed up. You’ve got to talk to them, and get them more involved. So if you take a great shot and you see it in your viewfinder, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome, I’ve got to show it to them.’”

Lillie, having worked with James in the past, corroborates the success of his methods. “I’ve actually done photo shoots with [James] a lot, so when we’re shooting, he’ll take a series of pictures and then come up to me and be like, ‘This is how it’s looking right now.’ It’s helpful so you can kind of see what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong,” she says.

Both James and Lillie agree that the Aerie REAL campaign is definitely a step in the right direction. In the ads, the Aerie models are wearing makeup and are posed in very flattering positions with great lighting, but there is absolutely no Photoshop used to adjust their bodies in any way. The tagline “The girls in these photos have not been retouched. #aerieREAL” appears on almost every ad, flyer, and even the store’s shopping bags.

Expanding the campaign even further, Aerie has reached out to college sororities across the country asking them to “share their #aerieREAL.” If the girls took a picture of themselves over spring break in one of the free swimsuits the company gave them, and shared it over Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #aerieREAL, Aerie featured them on their website.

SU’s own Gamma Phi Beta chapter was invited to take part in this event.

“We gathered in the basement of our house, where bathing suits were arranged for us to try on,” says Anna Hodge, a sister at Gamma Phi Beta and a sophomore at SU. “The suits were from the latest spring/summer line and were appealing to girls of all shapes and sizes.”

According to Hodge, most of the sisters really loved the event and the message it promoted.

A few of them, including SU senior Diana Pearl, were featured on Aerie’s website. “It was really exciting during spring break when the Aerie social media

accounts would share pictures of our girls in their bathing suits, using our sisters to show what real women look like,” says Hodge.

Another aspect of Aerie’s campaign, other than its inspirational message, has nothing to do with its new ads. When the Aerie REAL ads were released in the beginning of the year, the company’s website also made a few major changes.

When shopping for bras or clothing online, customers now see models that actually represent the size they’re boasting.

Instead of seeing a consistent 36C or size zero, girls now see models ranging from 32AA and size double-zero to a 38DD and size 14, depending on what range they’re looking for. This feature is a rarity when compared to other brands that target audiences of the same age.

Though one ad campaign can’t fix the way women are portrayed in the media today, using bodies with real lines and curves to show off cute bras, undies, and sleepwear from a brand beloved by young girls is certainly a step in the right direction. While some may argue that the models Aerie uses are still the cream of the crop, it is refreshing to see that those girls can be seen as perfect, healthy, and beautiful without the help of the liquefy tool. If more companies and brands like Aerie can start taking small steps like this towards creating a healthier image, the staggering 24 million Americans with eating disorders may be able to slowly decrease in number. Always remember that the real you is beautiful, the real you is lovely, and the real you is definitely sexy.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

47

FEATURES

No Time for

LYME

ONE STUDENT’S STORY OF HER BATTLE WITH LYME DISEASE, HER RECOVERY, AND HER HOPE TO SPREAD AWARENESS. story by Morgan Chamberlain // photos by Amanda Piela

J

ordyn Conway, a 22-year-old ESF graduate student, didn’t think anything of her chronic fatigue during her senior year of college until she was sent to the Crouse Emergency Room one night in the spring of 2013. “I called my mom and I said, ‘I’m really sick. I don’t know what’s going on with my body, I can’t move. I’ve never been in so much pain in my entire life.’” says Conway. “I was so scared.” After being misdiagnosed at Crouse, Conway went home to Lake George, NY to figure out what was wrong with her, and was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks and caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. In its acute form, it usually causes flu-like symptoms, joint pain, neck stiffness, and sometimes a bull’s eye rash. In most cases, Lyme can be cured if properly diagnosed and treated in the early weeks following the infection.

Unfortunately, the disease is known for its difficulty to diagnose and treat. If not treated properly early on, Lyme can become a chronic, debilitating illness that affects multiple systems or organs in the body including the brain, heart, joints, and nerves.

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

David Hunter, father of a Lyme patient and a Lyme patient himself, knows firsthand how difficult it is to diagnose the disease. “Lyme disease is known as the ‘new great imitator’ because it can mimic many other illnesses,” says Hunter.

“It is often misdiagnosed a multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, bipolar disease, OCD, depression, ADD, anxiety, and others. It is multi-systemic and can impact so many different parts of the body in varied ways.” Hunter’s daughter was diagnosed with Lyme at the age of 14, and was so affected by the disease that she had to miss all four years of high school.

Many patients don’t know that a Lyme disease diagnosis also comes with a risk of developing one or more co-infections.

Co-infections are tick-borne illnesses that can affect the duration and severity of Lyme symptoms. The three most common Lyme disease co-infections – Babesiosis, Erlichiosis, and Bartonellosis – can be tested with a Lyme Literate doctor (LLMD).

Since Lyme disease is still widely misunderstood and mistreated, it is extremely important to find a LLMD who fully understands the disease and can effectively treat Lyme symptoms.

“I CALLED MY MOM AND I SAID, ‘I’M REALLY’ SICK. I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON WITH MY BODY, I CAN’T MOVE. I’VE NEVER BEEN IN SO MUCH PAIN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.”

Due to Lyme disease’s geographical and seasonal nature, it is not yet recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an epidemic. “It surely is an ecological disease. That’s what Lyme is. It’s spread by nature, and as much as nature is something we want to control, there’s this wild aspect that we can’t,” says Conway. Until recently, the CDC had reported an average of only 300,000 cases of Lyme per year in the United States. However, based on new studies, the true number of incidences of Lyme is thought to be as high as one million cases per year. This would categorize Lyme as an epidemic that is at least six times more common than HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, due to its controversial nature, Lyme disease is still trying to gain national attention and progress towards proper treatment in the United States.

When first treated for Lyme disease, patients are often put on Doxycycline, a harsh antibiotic that causes many side effects such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and a general ill feeling. For those who have had Lyme or one of the co-infections for a long time, antibiotics are often not enough to get rid of the disease. The medicine soon destroys the probiotics in

the stomach, and can make patients feel much worse before they become better. For this reason, many patients with Lyme decide to take a more homeopathic approach with treatment.

Acupuncture, massage-therapy, and Chinese herbal medicines can be very helpful in both easing the pain of symptoms and in the case of herbs, potentially eliminating Lyme infections.

Luckily for SU students, many of these services are offered at the Central New York Healing Arts Center in Syracuse. Detoxing methods, eliminating processed foods and sugar from one’s diet, and exercise can also be important components in recovering from Lyme disease.

The most important thing for Lyme disease is proper diagnosis and proper treatment. Finding a Lyme Literate doctor and flushing the Lyme out of the body as quickly and as efficiently as possible is the best way to handle the disease. If any symptoms of Lyme appear, college students should seek help immediately.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

49

College Contraception A BREAKDOWN OF SU’S BIRTH CONTROL SCENE story by Juliana LaBianca // photos by Laura Palladino

I

n early 2012, Fordham University made news for refusing to issue birth control prescriptions to its students. Arguing its Catholic affiliation, the university claimed it was following New York State law by covering birth control fees under student’s health insurance – the catch was that actually getting a prescription was nearly impossible.

At the same time that Fordham was criticized for being too conservative, the health center at Shippensburg University was criticized for being too liberal. Shippensburg’s health center offered – and after a high-profile court case, still offers – emergency contraception from a vending machine.

“Colleges that are aware that students are sexually active, and colleges that understand that this is a public health issue rather than a moral issue, tend to have the best sexual health policies,” says Madonna Harrington Meyer, a sociology professor at Syracuse University.

For students at SU, a wide range of birth control methods and emergency contraception are available through SU Health Services. SUHS offers traditional hormonal birth control pills as well as the Ortho Evra patch, Nuva Ring, Depo Provera injections, and Seasonale. Students can also purchase emergency contraception (Plan B) for $50.

Condoms How it works: Worn by the man, condoms prevent sperm from getting into the woman’s body.

Typical Failure Rate: 18% Common Reason for Failure: The condom breaks during sex or it was damaged at some point after manufacture.

Birth Controls Available at SU Health Services

Ortho Evra Patch

Failure rates are determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percent failure rate is the percent of women who experienced an unintended pregnancy within the first year of typical use.

How it works: The patch can be worn almost anywhere that it won’t be rubbed by tight clothing, but most commonly on the abdomen, buttock, and back. It releases progestin and estrogen through the bloodstream. Each week for three weeks you apply a new patch; on the fourth week you do not wear a patch, but instead should get your period.

Typical Failure Rate: 9% Common Reason for Failure: Forgetting to put the patch back on after your patch-free week or forgetting to change your patch from week to week.

Birth Control Pills Data from a 2013 poll by the American College Health Association shows that with 61.6 percent of all college birth control users, the most common type of birth control among college women are hormonal birth control pills.

How it works: Taken by the woman once a day at the same time each day, hormonal birth control pills contain progestin and estrogen. By keeping these hormones at a certain level in the body, the pill prevents eggs from leaving the ovaries, making it impossible for the egg to join with sperm.

Typical Failure Rate: 9% Common Reason for Failure: Forgetting to take the pill or not taking it at the same time each day. Perfect use of the pill has a less than one percent failure rate.

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WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

Nuva Ring How it works: The ring is placed inside the vagina and worn for three weeks. During the fourth week the user has her period and then puts in a new ring. The ring also releases the hormones estrogen and progestin.

Typical Failure Rate: 9% Common Reason for Failure: The ring can fall out and ovulation can occur.

FEATURES Depo Provera Injection How it works: The user gets a shot of the hormone progestin every 12 weeks.

Typical failure rate: 6% Common Reason for failure: Counting months (deciding to get the shot on the first of every third month) instead of every 12 weeks.

Emergency Contraception (Plan B OneStep) The American College Health Association found that in 2013, 18.8 percent of sexually active women have reported using the morning after pill in the past 12 months.

How it works: Used within five days after the failure of a regular birth control method, Plan B contains high levels of progestin. It is not a substitute for a regular method of contraception.

Typical failure rate: 11% Common Reason for failure: Not taken soon enough after unprotected sex.

If you believe your birth control has failed, or you have a positive home pregnancy test, SUHS offers confidential, laboratory-controlled pregnancy testing. If the test is positive, you will be counseled on your options, and given assistance in choosing an outside health care provider no matter what you choose.

“Colleges that are aware that students are sexually active, and colleges that understand that this is a public health issue rather than a moral issue...�

WINTER 2013 // WHAT THE HEALTH

51

FEATURES

Now That’s

Chic:

What I Call

story by Madison Davis // illustration by Sarah Collins

A

djusting to living abroad in a foreign country with a new group of a friends and a host family is hard enough as it is. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle on top of that makes it much more difficult. Coming from someone who spent the last four months in Strasbourg, France, the temptation for crepes, pastries, and chocolate is real. You’re only there for four months, so why not, right? It is an adventure of a lifetime, one where you quickly find the many similarities and differences between American and French lifestyles. Two Syracuse University juniors who spent their fall semester in Strasbourg weigh in on how they maintained their healthy lifestyles, and what they learned after an unforgettable semester.

Mikey Barbone, a junior international relations major at SU, is a dedicated student and athlete. He is highly invested in CrossFit, and worked to incorporate that into his daily lifestyle.

Even in the first few days on the traveling seminar, you could find Mikey at the CrossFit center in Berlin. He enjoys the community based, team aspect of CrossFit that encourages everyone to be adequately good at all aspects. He pushes himself to go further, focusing on the idea is the more balanced you

52

LIVING HEALTHY WHILE ABROAD

are, the more you will be prepared to do anything.

“When it came to working out, it was hard to maintain my lifestyle,” Mikey commented. “They didn’t have the type of gym that I needed, so it took me a long time to find the gym that I ended up going to. I got up in the morning four to

five times a week and went 45 minutes each way to a sports complex that also had a weight room and an Olympic lifting club. I did my thing, but I am used to a competitive atmosphere. So motivationwise it was tough because I could not feed off the energy of other people. Working

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

out with other people causes you to push each other, but when you’re alone it’s sort of demoralizing.” Accepting the French fitness obstacles, Mikey participated in a few regional competitions with native French athletes. He enjoyed that cultural experience and seeing the caliber of athletes in sports such as volleyball and soccer in France. Back in action this semester, you can find Mikey working to become CrossFit certified in order to set up a CrossFit gym here on campus.

“Syracuse is an active campus and I think there would be huge interest, and I would love to start something here at SU,” he says.

A rare salad eater, Mikey became an avid fan of it through his dinners with his host family.

“You eat what is put in front of you at someone else’s house and I became a less picky eater,” he says. In Syracuse, he is used to having a meal plan so he eats a hearty amount of good food.

Strawberries, green peppers, cucumbers, and carrots are a few of his favorite things. Instead of always going the easy, cheap, accessible college student route of pasta seven days a week, Mikey tries to balance out the food groups. He feels fortunate to be able to avoid dieting, but contrarily he eats large amounts of protein to increase his muscle size. “The best ways to get nutrients in your body is to eat a lot of food and they don’t do that there, especially at lunch.

Sandwiches were the main option, and

“JUST LIKE US,

THE FRENCH CAN’T RESIST.

”

those were reasonably expensive,” he noted. The most surprising part of Mikey’s return to the U.S.? He missed being here in terms of working out, but he is positive he was much healthier in France. “The host family made all the difference. I ate like a king,” says Mikey. “The best part was, we never repeated a meal.”

Even without a large CrossFit presence in France, Mikey definitely misses that aspect of Strasbourg.

Maggie Applegate, a junior dual television, radio, and film and French major, learned how to blend in while also maintaining her American identity.

She spent a year after high school living in Annecy, France with multiple host families, learning the ins and outs of what it means to be a francophone. “You have to do the bise when greeting each other, which is one kiss on both cheeks,” says Maggie. “It can be alarming at first, when we’re all used to going in for that hug.

Now that is a foreign concept to them.”

She also noticed that going to the gym to work out at any given point of the day is not a norm to the French. She learned to get her exercise through the Strasbourg University Athletic Program, where all SU Strasbourg students had access to take classes. For just ten euros, students could enroll in any class, taught by an instructor in French. “I enjoyed my Monday night fitness classes with my roomie, and renting a bike for the semester not only turned me native, but was quick, easy, fun, and affordable,” says Maggie.

She took classes at the university in Strasbourg, and met many French students through that experience. Besides

their love of all things bread, cheese, and wine, she learned that they share similar cravings to the average American: sweets, grease, and alcohol. Just like us, the French can’t resist. The difference: smaller portions and an obsession with smoking cigarettes. Everywhere you turn, you can find someone as young as a teenager taking a smoke break. Maggie believes this could be attributed to their notably small figures, in comparison to the overweight American stereotype.

“Even walking in to the clothing store Zara, their extra large is like our medium,” says Maggie. “The sense of size relates back to their culture of food and exercising, as small is normal, and almost expected of the French.”

Both Maggie and Mikey loved to try new foods, especially on weekends when they tried new delicacies with friends.

They felt more adventurous with the cultural aspect of Strasbourg, the large amount of immigrants, and especially the quality vegetables in the Alsace region.

They never felt a lack of calcium because of the delicious daily cheese options, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And you can never forget the bread, lots and lots of bread. It was quickly noted that carbs were a must, paying for water was a norm, and small portion sizes were not a joke.

Maggie Cregan, an SU student currently in Strasbourg, regularly writes in the Daily Orange about her experiences living in France. “Since arriving here, I’ve eaten my share of pizza, pasta, sushi, and even a McFlurry from McDo (McDonald’s).

While many of these familiar options are

attractively cheap, it is possible to eat French on a student budget,” she says.

Her go-tos are the typical study abroad student’s diet: the classic, affordable baguette, late night kebab cravings, sweets, and pastries. Not that different from the U.S., when you stop and think about your first drunken hankerings.

The moral of the story: you can go abroad and eat. Enjoy yourself for your four-month adventure; no one ever said dieting and stressing was à la mode. It will be a lot easier than you think to do it all while staying healthy along the way. Whether it is less-processed food in Europe, healthier meals with host families, or the occasional bike ride to class, healthy living will be right at your fingertips without you even realizing it. So you can have that chocolate éclair, extra dessert at dinner, or drunken splurge on a kebab and not feel guilty about it.

Take advantage of the seasonal fruits and vegetables, local healthy specialties, and fresh produce at your disposal. Rent a bike, go to the gym, or just walk to class every day. Simple ways to get moving can not only keep off the “abroad 15,” but also make you feel happier, healthier, and appreciative of your surroundings.

When you stop to smell the roses, you’ll see that France is not too different when you step outside of your food comfort zone. Sure they eat a lot of carbs, speak a different language, and have long, sit down dinners. But the one thing that stays the same: you can be you, eat great, and even drink wine at every meal. C’est la vie, after all.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

53

BACK OF BOOK

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WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

BACK OF BOOK

OIL

PULLING

AN EXCITING NEW WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR ORAL HEALTH. story by Marisa Malanga // illustration by Shirley Chang

O

il pulling is a practice that dates back to ancient Ayurvedic (Indian) times and has been used as an Indian alternative medicine practice for thousands of years. It is the act of swishing oil around your mouth for no more than 15 minutes. Basically, it uses oil as a sort of mouthwash. Sounds kind of gross, right?

However, there is scientific evidence to back the claim that this practice can extract unwanted bacteria, fungus, and bad breath from the mouth, gum, and teeth — all things that can contribute to painful gum diseases. Why not use mouthwash? Many typical mouthwashes are alcohol-based, causing further aggravated gums and a drier mouth over time. Oil pulling seems to be the next new trend in dental hygiene, so it might be beneficial to learn more about this intriguing remedy and reap the benefits while we’re still young.

• Sesame oil, because it is proven to pull out plaque in teeth and reduce mouth saliva.

How to Oil Pull:

• are susceptible to cavities or gingivitis

• Take a tablespoon of oil; coconut, sesame, sunflower, black seed, and olive oil will all work.

• Swish it around your mouth for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Spit it out into the trash.

• Sunflower oil, because it effectively extracts bacteria from the gums and teeth, and it has a less bitter, more savory taste.

Heath Benefits of Oil Pulling: • Strengthening of the teeth, gums, and jaw • Prevents bad breath • Prevents and reduces the likelihood of cavities and gingivitis • Whitens teeth • Reduces headaches and migraines • Prevents dry lips • Detoxes the mouth, teeth, and gums • Reduces insomnia

Try Oil Pulling if You… • have bad breath • have poor sleeping habits • have frequent headaches or migraines • have sensitive/bleeding gums • have a hangover

• Rinse your mouth out with warm water.

• are susceptible to dry lips

Oil Pulling Tips:

Syracuse Survey

• Do it in the morning on an empty stomach before brushing your teeth, because it is proven to provide the most effective form of detox to the mouth.

• Do it in the shower to fit it into your busy schedule.

• Add a few droplets of extracts, such as mint, to the oil for a better taste.

• Floss before oil pulling, as it will allow for more pulling of germs from the gums.

Best Oils to Use:

A survey was polled of 200 Syracuse University students to see who had ever heard of oil pulling and how many had actually tried it.

Only 18 people had heard of oil pulling, and only seven participants had tried it.

Five of those seven used sesame oil, while the other two preferred to use coconut.

Only two of the seven who tried it saw results of teeth whitening, along with less gum sensitivity and lip dryness. The most that anyone kept up oil pulling was five weeks.

• Coconut oil, because the antimicrobial Lauric acid in it is proven to kill bacteria and has a sweeter taste.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

55

GET OUT OF TOWN

Take a Trip WTH’s guide to great destinations in Syracuse’s backyard

story by Nora Horvath // illustration by Alyssa Pauker

Howes Cave Skaneateles Watkins Glen

Syracuse Cortland

As far as most of the world is concerned, the only worthwhile thing in New York State is New York City. Here in Syracuse, we know better. From the beautiful Adirondack Mountains to the expansive Finger Lakes, there are countless weekend getaways for every season of the year that are less than two hours from ‘Cuse.

Believe it or not, upstate is full of great places to discover, get outside, eat, and relax. Here are a few of the best:

56

WHAT THE HEALTH // SPRING 2014

ak e P k Gree Cortland, NY

Skaneateles, NY

Just a short trip from Syracuse, Cortland has a lot to offer throughout the whole year. During the winter months, Cortland is home to Greek Peak, a local ski area that offers $15 lift tickets for college students on Monday nights. During the summer, you can check out the Outdoor Adventure Center, which offers a zip line, a ropes course, and a 4,300-foot mountain coaster. If you feel like leaving the mountain, venture into Cortland and enjoy a bite to eat at one of their restaurants, like the area-famous Pita Gourmet.

Just a 20-minute drive from Syracuse, Skaneateles is an adorable little town located on Skaneateles Lake. During the summer, the lake makes a great place to spend the day. There are boats available for rent through The Sailboat Shop, but if you prefer to be a passenger, there are also ferry rides available. During the summer, there are areas open to public swimming. After spending a day on the water, take a stroll through town and check out the various shops and restaurants Skaneateles has to offer.

Watkins Glen, NY

Howes Cave, NY

Located on Seneca Lake, Watkins Glen is great place to get out and hike during the warmer months and is less than 90 minutes from Syracuse. A perfect weekend getaway during the spring and summer, Watkins Glen State Park is famous for their 19 scenic waterfalls.

The park also offers areas for camping and swimming. Watkins Glen is also home to Watkins Glen International, the automobile racing track that hosted the United States Grand Prix for 20 consecutive years. Racing fans are also offered the option of camping directly at Watkins Glen International, where they can be close to the action.

Explore the world underneath your feet at Howe Caverns, home to some of the most unique caves in New York, which lie just two hours east of Syracuse. While you can’t enter the caves without a guide, there are a variety of different tours available for every comfort level, including the traditional tour, a lantern tour, and an adventure tour for a more diverse cave experience. Sports lovers can also drive an hour west to Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

57

BACK OF BOOK

AMPLIFY Your Agua

Rehydrate with these refreshing ways to enjoy your water story by Mitali Das // photo by Laura Palladino

I

n the upcoming season filled with bikinis, beach runs, and poolside reading, the importance of hydration can’t be stressed enough. Whether you are spending this season abroad in Spain, lifeguarding at your local pool, or interning in the city, the sweltering heat is bound to take a toll on your body.

Our bodies lose water every time we sweat, breathe, and even blink our eyes, so replenishing the supply that makes up about 50 to 75 percent of our body weight is vital. But what if we are sick of the classic, dull taste of Poland Spring or are seeking some extra nutrients? Look no further than these new, popular, and super tasty alternatives to water.

One of the latest trends to hit the beverage market is fruit-infused water.

These beautifully crafted glass bottles, termed “fruit-infusers,” contain all the nutrients of regular water, with the additional taste and nutritional benefit of fruit. Whether you are looking for a sweet strawberry refresher, or a cooling cucumber-infused water, these beverages will satisfy all your cravings and help you stay hydrated in the heat. These drinks can easily be made in under 20 minutes with minimal ingredients. Take pineapple mint flavored water for example: according to the Yummy Life, this sweet

58

and refreshing beverage is not only healthy and hydrating, but also very easy to make with simple ingredients. Using just a glass and mixer, make this drink by adding a sprig of mint, pineapple pieces, water, and ice. Drinks such as these are ideal for a busy summer intern or an international globetrotter looking for a new and different way to stay hydrated, despite a hectic schedule.

“One of the

For all those looking to steer clear of any fancy, spa-like water concoctions, there is a simple water enhancing alternative: flavor packets. Sold by Dasani, Propel, Crystal Light, and dozens of other companies, these tiny, powder-containing packets are the perfect way to add a low-calorie kick to your drinking water.

Delicious flavors such as raspberry, mango, lime, and lemonade appeal to many preferences and are cost-effective.

latest trends to hit the beverage market is fruit-infused water.”

WHAT THE HEALTH // WINTER 2013

Before heading out for a run, leaving for work, or embarking on a trip, just throw a few flavor packets into your bag and you can make the experience of staying hydrated much more flavorful.

Lastly, for the coffee and tea addicts, turn to herbal tea as your summer remedy. For those seeking a hot drink fix even on the most sweltering of days, herbal teas like green tea, chamomile tea, peppermint tea, and even the exotic persimmon tea all provide essential nutrients and can act as vitamins and blood purifiers for the body. In addition to the healing properties associated with herbal teas, they are also a simple, fast way to stay hydrated and overcome your craving for caffeine.

No matter how you plan to spend your precious summer months, the maintenance of your body’s water supply is key for your overall health and wellbeing. While dull and easy-to-access water may seem like your only option, keep in mind the simple ways that a flavor packet, fruit serving, or herbal tea mix can provide you with additional health benefits and enhance taste, making staying hydrated much more enjoyable.

WTH

z i u q

How

HEALTHY Are You?

story by Morgan Conover // illustrations by Shirley Chang

1. How often do you exercise?

• a. Exercise? Never.

• b. Once or twice a month.

• c. Twice a week.

• d. On that grind seven days a week, gotta stay fit!

2. What type of exercise do you do most often?

• a. Mostly cardio.

• b. Mostly weights.

• c. Both! I like to switch it up.

• d. Uhh…walk to class?

3. How often do you go to the dentist?

• a. Whenever I have an issue.

• b. Never—the dentist is terrifying!

• c. Every six months, or as often as my dentist recommends.

• d. My teeth are perfect as is.

5. How often do you wear sunscreen?

9. Which song best describes your sleep pattern?

• a. I don’t wear sunscreen. I can’t be pale all the time!

• a. “Best Thing I Never Had,” by Beyoncé

• b. I wear a moisturizer and/or makeup with SPF in it everyday.

• b. “Let’s Go to Bed,” by The Cure

• c. I don’t wear sunblock regularly, but don’t try to tan either.

• d. We live in Syracuse.

• a. No, and I never have.

• b. I used to, but I quit.

• a. Laughing it off—you’ll do better next time.

• c. I don’t smoke, but I live with someone who smokes regularly.

• b. Getting angry with yourself for not studying more.

• d. Regularly.

• c. Partying the stress away.

7. Which best describes your diet?

• a. Fresh veggies, fruit, whole grains, lean protein.

• b. The three p’s: pasta, pizza, and potato chips!

• c. I live off of coffee and sweets.

• a. I schedule time to myself.

8. You are craving a snack, what do you reach for?

• c. It’s called alcohol.

• d. Explore the great outdoors!

• d. “Asleep,” by The Smiths

10. You just failed a huge test. You react by:

6. Do you smoke?

4. How do you usually cope with stress?

• b. I vent to family or friends.

• c. “Party All Night (Sleep All Day),”

by Sean Kingston

• d. I rely on Marshall Street for food.

• a. Fruit • b. Chips

• d. Eating ice cream and bingewatching Netflix.

11. On average, how much time do you spend in front of screens (e.g. phone, computer, TV, etc.)?

• a. As little as possible, between 1 to 2 hours of total screen time a day.

• b. 3 to 4 hours a day — Have to keep up with everything!

• c. More than 5 hours a day.

• d. Honestly there is rarely a time when I’m not looking at a screen.

• c. Cookies • d. Veggies

TALLY UP YOUR POINTS: 1. a=4 b=3 c=2 d=1

5. a=4 b=1 c=2 d=3

9. a=4 b=2 c=3 d=1

2. a=2 b=2 c=1 d=4

6. a=1 b=2 c=3 d=4

10. a=1 b=4 c=3 d=2

3. a=3 b=4 c=1 d=4

7. a=1 b=4 c=4 d=3

11. a=1 b=2 c=3 d=4

4. a=1 b=2 c=4 d=1

8. a=1 b=3 c=4 d=1

11-21 POINTS: You are very healthy! Keep it up!

22- 33 POINTS: You are pretty healthy! You have the basics down, but could improve in some areas with minor lifestyle

34-44 POINTS:

changes.

There is a lot of room for improvement, but you can do it! Start by focusing on one health component (exercise, sleep, etc.) and improve it.

SPRING 2014 // WHAT THE HEALTH

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