Women's Health and Wellness

HOW TO DEAL: Ways to keep cool under stress

Write paper, buy dad birthday present, schedule meeting with professor, do laundry, write article. Does it ever seem like life is just an endless to do list? College is a busy time for everyone and while there’s never a dull moment this type of chaotic lifestyle can lead to a lot of stress.

Mastering stress management now will help you become successful in the future. What are some of the things that cause stress in your life? Can these things be helped?  Once you have pin-pointed the things that lead to undue stress, you can then work to alleviate them.

Stress is a major factor in our everyday lives. The American Institute of Stress recognizes that, “stress can even help compel us to action. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.”

Depending on how we react to it, stress can either help us or hurt us. You are the only one who can decide how stress affects you. If you are feeling stressed you may want to check out the counseling center. Even if it’s nothing major, it could help to talk it through out loud. The counseling center is located in Gosiger Hall.

So take a deep breath and have a stress-free day. Wrote article: check.

Here are a few tips from Professor Vernellia Randall to help diminish the work in an anxiety free way:

• Try studying difficult or boring subjects first, once these are finished you will be motivated to complete the rest.

• Use your time wisely, study between classes, this time really adds up.

• Don’t study in an environment where you will be easily distracted.

• Make sure you get enough sleep. Studies have proven that a lack of sleep affects your proficiency during your waking hours.  

• Write down your goals and put them somewhere you can view them often.

• Don’t overwhelm yourself by thinking about the entire stress work load. Take one task at a time and then move on to the next one.

Date Rape Drugs

What are date rape drugs?  In recent years a new kind of rape threat has reared it's ugly head on campuses and in nightclubs - so called "predator" or "date rape" drugs. What exactly are date rape drugs? Technically speaking, any substance that renders you incapable of saying no or asserting yourself and your needs can be used to commit rape. 

What are the effects date rape drugs? There are many factors that make these drugs desirable to sexual predators. The drugs are virtually undetectable; they are tasteless, odorless and colorless. All traces of the drugs will leave the body within 72 hours of ingestion and are not found in any routine toxicology screen or blood test - doctors and police have to be looking specifically for them and they have to look quickly!

Date rape drugs are easily slipped into drinks and food and are very fast acting. They render the victim unconscious but responsive with little or no memory of what happens while the drug is active in their system. The drugs also make the victim act without inhibition, often in a sexual or physically affectionate way.

Like most drugs, date rape drugs render a person incapable of thinking clearly or of making appropriate decision. This makes for a very passive victim; one who is still able to play a role in what is happening but who will have no clear memory of what happened after-the-fact. Without any memory of events the victim is often unaware that they have even been raped, and if they are aware or have suspicions they make very poor witnesses.

What can I do to protect myself?

Don’t drink beverages that you did not open yourself. 

Don’t exchange or share drinks with anyone. 

Don’t take a drink from a punch bowl or other common source. 

Don’t drink from a container that is being passed around.

If someone offers you a drink, go with the person to order your drink, watch the drink being made, and carry the drink yourself. 

Don’t leave your drink unattended especially when talking, dancing, using the restroom, or making a phone call. 

Don’t drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance... like a salty taste or unexplained residue.

Designate a sober friend to check-up on you and your friends. 

-Leave the party with ALL of your friends! 

For more tips, visit:  http://campus.udayton.edu/~adapt/partytips/partysmart/staysafe.html                                                          - compiled by Student Development staff members

“Would we love it if we had it?”

October is Love Your Body Month, and what a foreign concept this is to most of us.  What is the perfect body, and would we love it if we had it?  It seems that many of us believe we can only love and appreciate a perfect (or near perfect) body.  Did you know that by age 6, girls have internalized the idealized, slender body and 40% have expressed a desire to lose weight?  By age 9, they have begun to take action and 50% have started their first restrictive diet.  Of adults, 40% of women and 20% of men are dieting at any given time (although 62% of the dieting women and 44% of the dieting men were not considered overweight).  Body dislike and hatred can consume a lot of time and energy, contribute to low self-esteem and in some cases can lead to an eating disorder. 

The staff at the Counseling Center works with students who have become consumed with body dissatisfaction.  They work with undergraduate, law, and some graduate students for this issue as well as a variety of other concerns.  There is no cost for seeing a therapist at the Counseling Center.  Some students believe that you need to have a major crisis to be seen.  This is not true.  No problem is too minor to seek services.  Issues that are common are adjustment to college, eating disorders, alcohol problems, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, issues related to trauma (such as feelings of despair as a result of a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina), academic problems, and difficulty selecting a major, just to name a few.  Just call 229-3141 to set up an appointment.                                                                               Becky Cook, Counseling Center

What I wish I would have known…

(Excerpted from the Women’s Center Newsletter Issue #5) 

            When asked why they made the decision to attend UD, so many students report the supportive atmosphere and friendly community environment. With over 95% of students living on campus, UD is our neighborhood, our home, our family.

These sentiments make UD an amazing university, but they often leave us with a false sense of security as well.  Even the best of communities are subject to crime, and ours is no exception.

UD Public Safety bulletins have warned recently of several occurrences of public indecency and of students being harassed. What all of these incidents have in common is that the victims were women.

We’ve all heard one statistic or another, such as the fact that 1.3 women are raped every minute in the United States or that one in every four college women has been the victim of some sexual assault.

The goal is not to instill fear, but to make people—and especially women—aware of the dangers that they face. Being aware and prepared for any danger is the biggest key to avoiding becoming a victim.

According to many statistics, freshman women during their first semesters are the individuals most vulnerable to crime on college campuses. Many freshman women and other new students here at UD simply aren’t aware of the dangers they face and don’t know what they can do to protect themselves.

We all know that our beloved Ghetto (UD Student Neighborhood) is far from the crime-filled streets of New York or Los Angeles, but keeping safe is important no matter where you are. To see what other women on campus do to keep safe, we asked what they themselves wished they had known about Ghetto safety coming to UD… 

Make sure you and your roommates/housemates lock the doors when you leave, so you don’t have to worry about coming home to an unlocked house. -Senior

 When I go for a walk or run in the evening, I never go by myself.  If I have to go by myself, it is usually safer just to go to the PAC to workout.  And when walking to my car at night that’s parked in an alleyway, I always walk with my keys held out just as a precaution. -Senior 

One good investment is a whistle for key chains. I purchased a pretty little green whistle ….for 99-cents and it packs quite a punch. Anytime you get in a situation that is less than comfortable or safe, this can be an effective deterrent from any would-be aggressors. I have used mine more than once. -Senior 

Never walk alone and don't walk through the alleys. If you have to walk alone, make sure someone knows that you are coming or leaving. We also have a Women's Self Defense class, which I didn't know about until I signed up for it.  -Senior 

I have learned that it is important for women to walk around with their head up, shoulders back and a look of confidence about them. I think females can be targeted more by males when they walk with their heads down or do not make eye contact with passersby. -Senior 

I would advise women to always take a friend to those random parties that everyone is invited to. Also never ever allow a friend to walk …home alone. Cars pull up and it would be easy to grab someone and hit the highway before anyone even noticed. -Senior 

I knew one of the girls from last year that was running and got attacked.  My suggestion is to not go running early in the morning or late at night without someone else.  It never hurts to be cautious. -Sophomore 

You need someone with you at parties who makes you think twice before deciding to go home with a guy, or go anywhere with a guy for that matter, when you've been drinking and can't really make that kind of decision.       -Junior  

Have a friend that you know will look out for you at parties/bars/etc (and look after her too!) try to NEVER walk alone after dark! -Senior 

Cover you drinks and get your own drinks.  Don’t bring a purse...pockets are safer. Don’t walk home alone. Carry Mace. Don’t stare at the tennis shoes. Rapists tend to go for women doing something to distract them-- cell phones, make up, digging for keys.  Pay attention to your surroundings! -Junior  

As a freshman, people always told me to not get caught in "freshman herds or packs" but I've found the opposite to be true for safety. So many of the campus safety bulletins apply to women who are walking by themselves very late or early in the morning. My advice is to always walk in numbers and to be aware of your surroundings and always have a designated walker (a sober person to make sure everyone gets from place to place and back to their room). And not only that but if you choose to drink, make sure its in a house where you know and trust the people because I've heard too many times of girls being "fair game" if they pass out in an unfamiliar house, and so many of these incidents go unreported.

Also, for freshman girls I would advise them to have a floor program with their R.A. about sexual harassment and sexual conduct… -Sophomore   

My best advice for women on campus would be to NEVER walk alone, particularly at night, because most of the violations that have occurred have been at night when women were by themselves.  That seems to be the easiest target for predators. -Junior

For more tips visit the UD Public Safety Website at www.udayton.edu/~safety/

HPV vaccine, Guardisil

The new HPV vaccine, Guardisil, protects women who have not been previously exposed to the HPV types included in the vaccine.  There are two HPV types included that account for 70% of cervical cancer, and two types that cause most genital warts.  Ideally the vaccine should be given before one becomes sexually active, like you, because it isn’t protective if a woman has been exposed to the included HPV types.  It is possible, even if you plan to wait until you marry to have sex, that your spouse may have had an HPV exposure from external genital contact or intercourse.  So, protecting you still makes sense.

There is another vaccine in final studies that may be protective for women already exposed to these same cancer-causing HPV types.  I’m anxious for that to be approved, as it may be better for women already potentially exposed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does recommend that girls and women who are between ages 9-26, even if already sexually active, get the 3-shot Guardisil vaccine series.  It is likely to provide some protection.  All women should also continue annual Pap testing.

Dr.B

Medical Website suggestions for Dr. Mary Buchwalder

www.familydoctor.org   Provides good general medical information, flow sheets to check certain symptoms and whether or not you should be seen by a doctor.

www.webMD.com  Allows you to search for all sorts of medical questions.

www.cdc.gov

http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/default.htm  (en espanol)

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention with great links for travelers’ health topics:

http://www.cdc.gov/health/   info on many health topics, including women’s and men’s health, teen health, and many specific topics

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorial.html  Interactive tutorials on many medical topics from the National Library of Medicine & National Institute of Health

www.nih.gov  National Institutes of Health provides information on lots of topics.

www.eatright.org The American Dietetic Association

http://www.physsportsmed.com  Great journal with information for patients as well as physicians on many topics in sports medicine, nutrition, supplements, etc. 

http://www.ashastd.org  Reliable info on sexually transmitted infections

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query  Medline (search multiple medical resources on any medical topic)

www.healthfinder.gov  General info on various health topics, and list of many sites with reliable health info on almost any topic (also, en espanol)

www.quackwatch.org   Think something sounds too good to be true?  Check  it out here.

http://www.cdc.gov/hoax_rumors.htm Could it be an internet medical hoax?  Check here.

http://www.hon.ch/  You can also look for the HONcode symbol on sites, which means that a site follows strict principles to offer reliable medical information for non-medical people.   This is a non-governmental organization.  Dr.B

Ten Basic Tenents of Good Health

1.  Eat more fruits and vegetables, at least 5 servings every day.  More and more studies show that this can reduce cancer risk by 30-40% while also reducing risks of heart disease and stroke.

2.  Eat moderate amounts of healthy fats (olive or canola oils, nuts, olives, etc.); minimize saturated fats (animal fats, coconut and palm oils in processed foods).

3.  Work towards or maintain a healthy weight.  If you’re overweight, look at the “big picture”.  True weight loss (and health) only comes from an on-going commitment to healthy eating and exercise, NOT going on…and off…diets. And a healthy weight is NOT the same as thin.

4.  Exercise most days of the week.  Take the stairs.  Park in the distant parking lot.  Do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 3 days a week.

5.  Don’t use tobacco products.

6.  Limit alcohol.  For women, this is an average of no more than one drink daily; two for men.

7.  If you use marijuana or other illegal drugs, QUIT!

8. Don’t let stress get the best of you!  Prioritize your time.  Do the things you really enjoy and find worthwhile.  Learn to say “no”.  Meditate or pray regularly.  Exercise (see #4).

9.  Make time to do things with people you love.

10.  Choose to be happy.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their mind to be.”  -Dr.B

Exercise for the mind

According to a decades-long study, physical exercise really does help keep the mind health, especially in people over 55.

The study, which began in the 1960s and analyzed 18 controlled studies, concluded that exercise most greatly effected “executive control” functions, which include judgment, planning and coordinating actions to achieve a goal.

In addition, reaction time, visual-spatial capacity and specific skill learning can also improve to a lesser degree.

The study showed that physical programs that included strength training were more effective than only aerobic exercise, and 1-3 month long programs showed nearly as much benefit as 4-6 month programs. However, periods of exercise under 30 minutes had little beneficial effect on brain functioning.

Women were found to benefit more from exercise than men, and people in their late 60s improved more than any other age group.

The researchers are planning to begin a study on how exercise-based cognitive improvements are related to brain activation patterns seen on brain scans and EEGs. They say there is evidence that exercise allows the brains of older persons to recover the specialized ability for cognitive tasks after having lost the specialization of youth. www.health.harvard.edu

Is there such a thing as a healthy tan?

As warm weather approaches, most of us are anxious to spend time outdoors. I absolutely love the warmth of the sun on my face, and riding my bike. But do you know the risks of sun exposure? While folks in our society love the look of a tan, sun exposure (as well as indoor tanning) increases the risks of several types of skin cancer. Unfortunately, the most dangerous type, called melanoma, is occurring more and more in people in their teens and twenties. In 1980, the lifetime  chance of melanoma was one in 250. Currently, one in 75 people will get this disease. But it’s not a death sentence, either. Early melanomas are almost 100% curable. What should you look for? Any mole that itches, bleeds,  or changes in size, shape, or  color should be examined and probably removed  by a physician. Moles that are asymmetrical, have irregular borders,  uneven color or black, red, or blue pigments, or  are larger than a pencil eraser also should be checked by a physician. Prevention is even better:  stay out of the sun  from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,  always wear sunscreen  with SPF of 15 or more, and wear a broad  brimmed hat and long-sleeved shirt and long pants to minimize sun exposure. These precautions will also  reduce your risk of other,  less deadly skin cancers like basal cell and  squamous cell cancers. Tanning also is responsible  for chronic sun damage including wrinkles, leathery skin texture, and mottling or “age spots” (really “sun” spots).  Actually, there’s no such thing as a healthy tan; a tan is just a “precancerous  glow.” So, enjoy the spring  and summer days, just be  sensible, too! -Dr. B

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are very common, especially in young women. Signs that are suspicious for eating disorders include:

• secretive eating, bingeing (eating much more than someone normally would at one sitting, and feeling unable to stop oneself)

• disappearing to the bathroom after eating (to vomit), use of laxatives or water pills (diuretics)

• very limited amount or avoidance of certain types of food (e.g. totally avoiding fat in foods)

• fighting with friends or family about what or how much to eat

• thinking about food all the time, food rituals (e.g. cutting food into tiny pieces and eating them very slowly)

• hating any body fat, perfectionist tendency, sudden significant weight loss

• compulsive exercise

• using diet supplements

Usually several of these symptoms are present if someone truly has a problem.  So…what should you do if she does have some of these symptoms?

• DON’T criticize or nag

• DON’T focus on food, weight or body image

• DO point out strengths and talents

• DO focus on health and happiness; let her know you’re concerned if she is
  feeling blue

• Do encourage her to seek help from a physician, counselor, dietitian or support group; all of these are available here on campus (free to undergrads):

 - Health Center x93131
 - Counseling Center x93141; support group available
 - Wylan Ganote, RD x94225

If your friend denies that there is a problem (which is very common), consider talking to a physician or counselor yourself.

While you can’t force others to change, sometimes you can benefit from some support yourself and can discuss your concerns.
BTW, guys can get eating disorders too, though symptoms tend more toward compulsive exercise than food rituals and restrictions. 
-Dr. B

Hormone Replacement Therapy

  I have heard that women who take synthetic hormones may have many side effects including increased risk for heart disease, depression, and more. Do you have any information on Human Identical Hormones? Do women who need hormone replacement due to hysterectomy or removal of the ovaries need testosterone replacement as well? What can you tell me about hormone treatments?

    Rosalyn

    Hormonal treatments are in a real transition now. It is only in recent years that there has been really good research that is double-blinded, prospective and on-going. The Women’s Health Initiative is the study that had the medical profession questioning some of its long-held assumptions about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Now we are finding that HRT with both estrogen and progesterone is not protective against heart disease, and may actually increase risk for some. 

    That may not be true for those who take only estrogen (only recommended in women who have had a hysterectomy, as estrogen alone can cause precancerous endometrial changes). This part of the study is still in progress.
   

    Human Identical (also called “Natural”)  Hormones haven’t been prescribed much, not because doctors have anything particular against them; we just don’t have much in the research literature that has used them. If there are no standard protocols for using them, how do I know how much, what route (pill, cream, etc.), for what type of results (hot flashes, bone protection, heart protection)? The problem is that those questions haven’t been answered.
  

    HRT still is useful for hot flashes, and a woman and her doctor must decide how long to continue the treatment. HRT was our only option to prevent osteoporosis 15 years ago, and that was a disease that caused many problems and loss of independence for senior women. Today we have non-hormonal alternatives.
Women who have had surgical menopause with removal of their ovaries do need some kind of hormone replacement, and, yes, many women do actually need a little testosterone replacement too.
   

    I hope that covers the basics. The medical profession is looking at hormone alternatives, but definitive answers are not yet available.
   

    I think that as far as bone and heart health are concerned, the most important things are long-term lifestyle changes: exercise (cardiovascular for the heart, and weight-bearing for the bones) and a moderate-fat diet with adequate calcium. Older women, particularly petite, thin, white women who smoke or drink at least one alcoholic drink daily (those are the biggest risk factors for osteoporosis), should have their bone density checked to see if they need any further treatment.

-Dr. B

Well Woman Exams

    What kinds of health services does the Health Center provide? (specifically STD testing, gynecological examinations, mammograms, available contraceptives, pregnancy testing)

    Sarah

    The UD Health Center provides a wide range of women's services to undergraduates. Actually, women's health interests are the primary reason the University wanted a woman physician. The following are available to students at the Health Center:

• Well-woman exams, including breast exams, Pap smears/pelvic exams, teaching in self-exam techniques.

• STD screening for Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, syphilis, chanroid, trichomonas, molluscrum contagiosum, genital warts, cervical cancer (yes, this is considered to be a sexually transmitted disease caused by HPV, human papilloma virus), hepatitis B&C.

• Patient education and answers to questions about STDs and STD risks (including questions particular to gay/lesbian/bisexual students).

• Treatment of minor gynecological problems including irregular menses, prolonged lack of periods, problems related to birth control pills, and regulation of periods, breast pain or lumps, nipple discharge, etc.

• Follow-up testing after a diagnosis of an abnormal Pap or after treatment of an STD to check for sure - results can be Faxed to your primary gynecologist if requested.
  Free pregnancy testing

• Referrals to local OB/GYN physicians for more complicated gynecological problems.

    While I can order mammograms, usually they are less helpful in young women with breast problems because women under 30 generally have more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fatty breast tissue (fat makes the mammogram easier to read and to see worrisome changes).

    Because UD is a Catholic institution, we do not routinely prescribe contraceptives, consistent with Church teachings. However, there are some diagnoses that do require hormonal treatments. These are considered an acceptable treatment by the Catholic Church (because the primary intent is treatment of a medical problem, not contraception), and are available at the Health Center.
 

    I hope this answers your question, Sarah. If you have other questions that I haven't addressed, feel free to come in and talk to me. If you're not familiar with my hours, call x93131 and they will let you know.
-Dr. B