Getting in the Spirit of National Collegiate Health and Wellness Week
Going to college is a great experience. It is the time when you finally get to study the subjects you are really interested in and when you begin to work towards your future career. You are the one and only responsible for what comes next for Y-O-U, including meeting deadlines, paying bills on time and of course taking care of your health. Welcome to adulthood!
Now let’s talk about the process to get into college. Yes grades, tests scores and a comprehensive entry essay are a given; but the other side of this process believe it or not comes down to your health. Are your immunizations up to date? Have you been tested for venereal diseases? Some institutions may also require you to take a drug test. All these elements combined and perhaps an interview will determine whether you get in or not.
Next… Congratulations you got accepted! Now the grind begins, you are on a roll and burning the midnight oil has become part of your daily routine. You figured “why not I’m young I’ll catch up on Z’s once I graduate!” Ask yourself do these activities affect my overall health and wellness? The answer to that question is YES! Let’s be honest that midnight oil being burned is not just due to studying and once you graduate the time to catch up on Z’s decreases. It has been reported that some of the main health concerns on campuses across the country include lack of sleep, infectious diseases, alcohol abuse and lack of exercise.
The time to Take Control of Your Health® is now! You might ask yourself, but “how do I do that?” Perhaps doing the good old buddy system could work. ANY LAB TEST NOW® can be that buddy you need to help you stay on top of things and make sure you’re healthy. We have the tests that you don’t have to study for including titer testing, STD testing and overall wellness checkups. Plus, we have B-12 shots that can help you boost that energy after those all-nighters. Get in the spirit of National Collegiate Health and Wellness Week, increase your awareness about the importance of staying healthy, fit and get educated on how to do it. Visit www.anylabtestnow.com to find additional information on how to Take Control of Your Health® and visit a location near you.
What’s Up With That?? What’s Good For Me Can Also Be Bad For Me?
There’s a reason why your momma always told you to “drink your milk” when you were a child. You’ve seen the milk commercials – it builds strong bones. Then, when you started becoming the sunbathing god or goddess on the beach, your mother’s mantra changed to “wear your sunblock”. Both good for you, right?
Well, yes and no! Who would have thought that sunblock would also inhibit our body’s ability to produce Vitamin D? The good news is if you use sunblock, you are protecting yourself from the negatives associated with sun exposure – skin cancer, wrinkly skin, unwanted aging and sunburn. The question is, is your body getting enough exposure to produce a sufficient amount of Vitamin D?
It sounds silly to get a Vitamin D test in the summer when you’ve got a great tan going on; however, it may be the smartest thing to do to ensure you are not deficient if you are taking care of your skin through sunblock protection. Who wants Vitamin D deficiency when you are older? Now we have to deal with osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension – whew! The list goes on.
Lucky for us, if we just get tested periodically, we will know if we have a deficiency, then can take care of it in a number of ways, from combining a Vitamin D rich diet with supplements, or seeking guidance from our physician or nutritionist. So, I’m not going to end this with “break a leg” (caused from Vitamin D deficiency); take control of your health, even in the summer.
Vitamin D Deficiency Addressed Again
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There has been an annoyingly large amount of back and forth over whether we should be taking large amounts of vitamin D to compensate for unrecognized deficiencies of the critical mineral. First, most of us weren’t getting enough, then we were so, don’t worry and don’t take too much. A new study has recommended screenings, specifically of the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, not the active levels, for specific groups that are at risk of severe vitamin D deficiencies. These groups include the obese, those with malabsorption issues, african americans and pregnant/lactating women.
The study, conducted at the Boston University School of Medicine, includes new guidelines for screenings for levels of vitamin D that should be that should be present in the blood. Generally a level of 30 ng/mL has been considered acceptable, but the recommendation is that clinicians should aim for a target level of between 40-60 ng/mL. Many feel that the guidelines of 400 IU daily of vitamin for children and young adults and 600 IU for adults through the age of 70 is conservative because so many people are deficient and don’t realize it. Regardless of the current guidelines, getting tested to check your level and making sure you are getting the minimum couldn’t hurt. Obviously, the medical community is still battling this one out and we still don’t have a clear answer. Until they figure it out, don’t sit around and assume you’re OK. You’re the one who cares the most about your health so it’s up to you to be sure you’re getting the nutrients you need.
