by: Emily Wheeler
Pretty much everyone who lives a sizable distance away from the equator has heard someone tell them that if they don’t bundle up before going out into the chilly weather, they’ll certainly get a cold. Some parents are obsessive about making sure their children look like Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” before they even let them consider going outside in the winter, and some well-educated adults still love to blame the outdoor temperature for their sniffles and coughs. We’ve had our share of cold weather and plenty of coughs and sneezes in Chapel Hill lately, but when we look into the facts, can the cold actually give you a cold?
Common cold symptoms include a sore throat that lasts for just one or two days, runny nose or nasal congestion, and a cough. Many different mild viruses, including the frequently mentioned rhinovirus, cause these symptoms. (Who knew that rhinos were the real cause of colds!? Sarcasm…) Viruses also cause the flu, which manifests symptoms similar to cold symptoms but with typically higher intensity and duration, and may also include fever, full-body achiness, and extreme exhaustion (1).
Because both cold and flu are caused by viruses, you cannot get a cold simply from being cold. Viral infections must enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth by contact with the virus itself, whether you’ve touched an infected desk at school or shared a drink with your significant other (1).
On the other hand, cold temperatures can indeed be an indirect cause of getting a cold. If you are out in the cold for an extended period of time without proper clothing, your overall body temperature will decrease to a point that suppresses the immune system. Cold temperatures can also cause blood vessels in the nose to constrict, leading to a dry nose and less mucus as a defense system in your sinus cavity. This combination of a suppressed immune system and decreased mucus, which is a first line of defense against viruses, can make you more susceptible to being infected by a virus with which you come into contact (2). However, exercising outside in the cold typically keeps the core body temperature from dropping too low, so don’t expect to see any hard-core runners staying indoors just because it feels like a refrigerator outside.
Cold temperatures may also stimulate mild asthma events in asthmatic individuals without causing a full-blown attack. Exposure to the cold may also actually stimulate your immune system to release more of the hormone norepinephrine, which can act as a decongestant and cause your nose to run (2). Many people mistake these symptoms for symptoms of an oncoming cold, and are quick to blame the weather for these naturally occurring events!
In fact, you might be more likely to catch a cold by staying indoors all the time in the winter because others around you are doing the same, creating a great environment for all of those cold-causing viruses to spread between several people in a limited amount of space.
The most effective ways to avoid getting a cold or the flu are not to bundle up or stay inside. Instead, you should wash your hands with warm water and soap often, and keep your hands away from your face! Certainly try to use hand sanitizer or wash your hands before you eat, put in contacts, or even rub your eyes.
As the evidence shows, the old saying that “the cold will give you a cold” turns out to be just a myth. Many sources say this assumption likely carries over from before medical knowledge had progressed enough to understand the immune system and the transmission of disease. People noticed that more people seemed to be sick during cold times of the year (the time we now like to call flu season), so they figured that the cold must be the culprit. People also used to think that swamp air caused malaria, when in fact it was the mosquitoes living near the swamps (2). Luckily, we now know that going out in the cold in shorts and a tee shirt might not give you a cold with coughs and sniffles, but we can’t change the fact that you’ll still look silly.
Enjoy this short video with great illustrations to hear more about other hypotheses that may explain more about the indirect relationship between getting sick, and being cold!
I am a crafter. I craft any and all things because it is a great way for me to relieve stress, plus I am intuitively good at it. I usually give gifts and crafts all year long, but this past holiday season, I hand sewed 32 scarves from fabric that I handpicked myself (If I could have made the fabric myself, believe me, I would have). Granted, I spent about $300 on all of the supplies needed, which was a grip! But if you really think about it, I spent less than $10 per person, which is a preeeeeetty good.
As I finished the last scarf, I began to think to myself, “Why am I doing this?” Welp! The answer is simple—I love the gift of giving. Not only does it give me satisfaction to know that I am giving, but it makes it even MORE special that the item is personalized and specific for that individual. It truly does put me in great spirit.
So, what about you? How do you feel when you give the gift of giving? The Greater Good Science Center, based at the University of California at Berkeley, shares with us some ways that giving is good for you and your community:
- Giving makes us feel happy. Research shows that when someone gives something that is nice for someone else, it activates parts of the brain that is associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust. Endorphins are also released in the brain that creates an overall positive feeling.
- Giving is good for our health. Research has connected different forms of giving to having better health. Researchers think this is due to the act of giving, which decreases stress.
- Giving promotes cooperation and social connection. Several studies suggest that people who give are more likely to be rewarded by others and sometimes by the person you gave to. This helps create trust and a higher sense of interdependence.
- Giving evokes gratitude. ‘Counting your blessings’ can illicit feelings of gratitude, which research shows, is essential to health, happiness, and social connections.
- Giving is contagious. Giving inspires others to want to give. A study showed that when one person gives, it inspires observers to want to give later and to different people.
So, considering all of the health benefits and how easy it is to give—big or small—try to give often!
“20140404-123815″Paul Weaver. Flickr Creative Commons
Ever spent countless hours going from store to store in search of that perfect piece to complete your vision for tonight’s special event? For me, there’s no better feeling than getting all dressed up and seeing the masterpiece in the mirror you’ve hunted high and low for. However, getting all dressed up can be a double-edged sword: the end goal is to feel good about yourself in your attire, however it can also come with seeking validation from others. We typically want someone to notice all of the effort we put into our ensemble, like a simple “You look nice.” We don’t, however, wish to hear something crass, like the sexualized comments we might hear from passersby on the street, otherwise known as cat-calling, or unwanted provocative verbal comments, whistles or gestures usually from men directed towards women.
Oftentimes, beauty ads for products that are meant for women, such as handbags and makeup, are not actually geared towards women. Instead, they are geared towards what heterosexual men find attractive with the assumption that heterosexual women will want to buy these items to attract men. We all subconsciously gain our social cues from ads like these, including men, who may take cues on how men relate to women. Unfortunately, mass media often portrays women as sexualized objects for viewing pleasure, negatively affecting how men may choose to communicate with women in their daily lives. Ironically the term “cat-calling” is blatantly reflective of women being viewed as sex objects; a kitten or cat in this case. Using this perspective, it becomes possible to see how cat-calls can become a part of our social interactions. Not only do unwanted comments about one’s body have an impact on how you view others, it also can shape how you view yourself. These types of comments can impact your emotional wellbeing in terms of developing a negative sense of self or deflated body-image.
So what can we do?
- Become a critical consumer of media. There has been a lot of discussion surrounding the viral video of a woman’s perspective on being cat-called, and even more responses to this video. It is so important to actively engage in analyzing how media affects us emotionally and socially to start a dialogue and raise awareness. Click here for more info on becoming a critical media consumer.
- “KIC and KIM”: “Keep it Cordial and Keep it Moving.” Like the old saying goes, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” And if you feel like what you have to say may make someone feel threatened or unsafe—or if you wouldn’t want someone saying that thing to your friend/partner/relative—don’t say it either.
- Sometimes cat-calling can lead to seriously unwanted attention that can become dangerous—for example, stalking, harassment and/or sexual violence. If you or someone you know has experienced this, the Women’s Center and CAPS can offer support.
This week is weight stigma awareness week. Last week, I attended UNC’s Smash TALK, an open discussion with leading eating disorder experts, and I was shocked to learn that weight stigma is much more than the brief sting of hearing the words “you’re fat.”
Imagine that you were sitting at Lenoir or Starbucks with some friends, looking at the photo below in a magazine or online. What are people saying?
“Models photo shoot” by David Yu, Flickr Creative Commons
Now, imagine ya’ll are looking at this photo. What are people saying?
“It’s been awhile” by Amber Karnes, Flickr Creative Commons
We did a similar exercise at the Smash TALK event, and it really illustrated the assumptions we make around body size. The thin-framed woman drew words like hot, confident, disciplined, healthy, social, popular, and vain. The large-framed woman was described as both happy and unhappy, weak-willed, lazy, lonely, not-as-popular.
Wow. That’s a lot of assumptions based on one photo and NO interaction.
Where do these assumptions come from?
These assumptions are clear examples of weight bias. The Binge Eating Disorder Association defines weight bias as “negative judgment based on weight, shape, and/or size.” It can be both explicit and implicit, and it leads to weight stigma, or internalized shame resulting from weight bias.
Weight bias stems from a culture that inaccurately equates thinness with health, happiness, and success. Add to that the growing “war on obesity” which has become a war on obese people, and it is clear that weight bias is increasingly pervasive.
Unfortunately, it also starts young and often in the home: in one study, 47% of overweight girls and 34% of overweight boys were teased about their weight by family members. Many parents who struggle with their body image subconsciously pass this on to their kids, while others try intentionally not to.
What about weight stigma for the skinny folks?
I have written a few blogs about body image, and I try to veer away from promoting one body type over another, because thin people face assumptions that they are stuck up or vain or that they have an eating disorder. Songs like “All About That Bass” and campaigns like “Real Women Have Curves” send a negative message to thin women, and I’m not okay with that.
But…
When it comes to weight stigma, people with large bodies have it worse. And here’s why:
People with large bodies don’t just face stigma from fat jokes, they also face discrimination. Weight discrimination has increased 66% over the past decade, making it comparable to rates of racial discrimination, especially among women.
Here are some of the inequities:
Education—compared to nonobese children, obese children are
- Perceived as less likely to succeed by teachers and principals
- Less likely to be admitted to college with comparable academic performance
- Less likely to attend college
- Subject to teasing and bullying which leads to increased absences and depression
Employment—compared to nonobese adults, obese individuals face
- Lower employment with comparable qualifications and skills
- Lower wages (1% to 6% less than nonobese employees)
- Negative bias in performance evaluations
Health—compared to nonobese patients, obese patients experience
- Negative stereotypes among health care professionals
- Less time with their physicians
- Increased depression, lower self esteem, and negative body image
In an earlier blog, I talked about how body shame hurts us all. And it does. However, the shame associated with larger bodies comes with a large dose of discrimination that affects people’s ability to get into college, get a job and get paid fairly, and get the medical attention they need. And that’s the real shame.
Help fight weight stigma by
- Avoiding media that supports weight bias and weight stigma; read positive media like Yoga Body Project or join the Health At Every Size movement
- Recognizing that body shame negatively affects everyone—large or small—but it results in some serious inequities for people with larger bodies
- Taking Embody Carolina’s training to learn more about eating disorders and the healthy weight myth
- Reading more about thin privilege and fat acceptance
“Ding,” goes my computer.
“Whirrr,” goes my vibrating smartphone.
Without even thinking about it, like one of Pavlov’s dogs with a bell, I instantly check my email. It might be 9am and I just got to work, or it might be 9pm and I’m watching television with my partner. I just can’t help myself.
When I went to the beach for vacation this summer, I tried something I had never done before. I turned my work email account off on my phone. To some of you this may seem like no big deal, but I’m willing to bet there are others of you out there that understand the terrifying moment when you choose to disconnect from this mega form of communication.
Photo “Dangerous Inbox” by Recrea HQ, Flickr Creative Commons
For the first 12 hours I found myself checking that little notification bubble, and, I will admit, was actually let down when it remained fairly low. I felt tempted to turn on that Outlook® account again, just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything important. It was so hard to let go of the satisfaction of being connected and the anxiety of a cluttered inbox. Never mind that this time was supposed to be about relaxing, spending time with family, and disconnecting from the work world- I felt like I still needed to know what was going on.
And why shouldn’t it? The Radicati Group, a technology market research firm, found that the average person who uses email for work (and I would count being in college as “work”) sends and receives about 110 emails per day. That study was conducted in 2012, so I would not be surprised if the number is even higher today. Email is a form of communication we have grown to rely on; it’s a fast and easy way to get answers and pass along information without having to speak face-to-face or over the phone. But the flip side of this convenience is that people are able to reach us at any time, and the lines between school/work life and personal life grow more and more tenuous.
In a global media study conducted by faculty at The University of Maryland, they found that college students all over the world actually exhibited physical and emotional signs of withdrawal when asked to go 24 hours “unplugged” from technology. Other studies have shown that “email overload” can contribute to stress, decreased productivity & concentration, and is connected to feelings of burn out.
So, what can we do about this? Even as I write this blog, that little red notification bubble has continued to increase. Here are a few tips for managing inbox overload–or the “email beast”–that I’ve found useful:
- Empty your inbox. As emails come in, filter them into organized folders. This can help prevent the “inbox buildup.”
- Be the boss of your email. Set boundaries that work for you. This can be as simple as “I don’t check my email during class,” or not checking email after a certain time of day. Hold yourself accountable with some reinforcement, such as rewards for sticking to your goal for a set amount of time.
- Control the flow. Similar to emptying the inbox, control the flow of emails by setting a window of time each day that you concentrate solely on responding and sorting emails. Don’t let yourself get caught in the frantic email answering between classes—rather, sit down and focus only on the task at hand.
Photo Ready to Start This Friday by Jabiz Raisdana, Flickr Creative Commons.
- Unsubscribe like your life depends on it. Remember at Fallfest when you signed up for every listserv for every organization you might ever want to join? I’m willing to bet your inbox has doubled with emails since that wonderful night a few weeks ago. Now that you have had time to settle in to the semester, go back and unsubscribe to the listservs that you haven’t read at all. You can also set up filters so that these emails automatically go into folders you can read later if you aren’t ready to un-commit yet.
- Take time to disconnect. While it might not be realistic or even desirable to go a day without email, set aside time to disconnect. Put up an away message, or simply turn off your email notifications until you are ready to focus on giving those messages the responses they deserve. Instead, use that “ding” or “buzz” free time to have coffee with a friend, take a walk around campus, or go to a performance you’ve been dying to see.
When my college roommate died of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) on Thanksgiving Day in 2012, I was completely devastated. ALS is a neurological disease that affects the brain’s ability to communicate with the muscles in the body. In lieu of flowers, a monetary contribution was made to the ALS Foundation. Undoubtedly, I am an advocate and supporter of raising funds to support further research for this dreaded disease which, to date, has no cure. Recently, many people have been participating in a “challenge” to raise awareness for ALS. So…what is this challenge, you might ask…? THE ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE, of course.
The ALS ice bucket challenge is endearing, exciting and engaging! Most everyone is abuzz with the challenge, which is gaining momentum with each passing day among the young, old, and in between. But wait……when I asked my African American female friends about participating in the challenge, they gave me “that look.” I, of course, knew what “that look” meant. However, for those who do not know, I will translate for you: that look means, “Are you for real?” This has nothing to do with obviating the gravity and the meaning associated with the ALS challenge itself, but it has everything to do with hair.
Many celebrity figures have accepted the challenge, and two famous Black actresses have decided to do it “Black girl” style. (http://youtu.be/gyktvpkVXvA and http://youtu.be/r0sSYqF6RXM)
For hundreds of years, many African American/Black women have owned their hair as their mane of glory. Even in the cotton fields, Black women did all they could not to sweat because their natural curl would become tighter and less manageable. From straightening combs, to afros, to chemicals, to braids, to weaves, to the new wave buzz…..Black women have experimented with their hair….looking for a style that would reflect the essence of who they are, while still maintaining beauty, sophistication and liberation. Hair should not be an obsession, but when it prevents one from participating in fun activities, charitable causes, healthy exercise, sports events, ad infinitum…..what is the answer?
For those sisters who can relate, it is not as simple as “yes,” I want to participate in the ice bucket challenge. It is the aftermath of “re-coifing,” re-grooming, re-styling, and reminding ourselves that Afro-textured hair requires a different type of hair care which involves time. While the biochemical composition of Afro-textured hair is identical to that of Caucasians and Asians, its morphological difference in elasticity and comb-ability causes Afro-textured hair to have different needs. These needs oftentimes inform how African American women make decisions about how they navigate their daily lives–even if it means re-thinking the ice bucket challenge!!
More information: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kimika-hudson/the-missing-education-on-black-hair_b_5540407.html
This blog was written by DeVetta Holman Nash, who presently serves as the strategic planner for Diversity Initiatives and as the Co-Lead for the Vice-Chancellor’s Inclusiveness and Accessibility Service Delivery Team. A professionally trained health educator and primary prevention specialist, DeVetta earned her B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and her Masters Degree in Public Health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health. DeVetta is a past recipient of the Chancellor’s Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Award (SUTSA) and has been inducted into the UNC Frank Porter Graham Honor Society for outstanding professional work. She serves as the UNC Faculty Advisor for the UNC Collegiate Chapter of the NAACP and mentors UNC students, including UNC’s Covenant Scholars. DeVetta was the recipient of the 2012 University Diversity Award which recognizes significant contribution to the enhancement, support and/or furtherance of diversity on the campus and in the community. DeVetta is a 25-year employee committed to creating an optimal living and learning experience for UNC-CH students. She loves jazz and sunsets. She is the proud mother of one son, Master Robert-Anthony Nash.
*Updated on 9/9/2014*
What is food justice?
“Food Justice views hunger as a result of unjust social dynamics including racism, sexism, homophobia, and classism. Food justice advocates for policies which rebalance food systems in terms of social inequalities, such as government support for farmers of color, marginalized communities of color with poor food access, and exploited workers.” – The Louisville Fellowship of Reconciliation
In other words….food justice addresses the inequality between who gets to eat a variety of healthier and culturally-competent food options and who does not.
What does food justice have to do with health and wellness?
Here at Student Wellness, we like to think of wellness in terms of dimensions. Wellness is not just about being physically healthy and free of sickness or disease; it also means nurturing all the dimensions of wellness, including social, emotional, cultural, intellectual, spiritual, financial, physical, and environmental. Food justice relates to wellness in a number of these dimensions.
Food justice and environmental wellness
Food justice is related to the environment in many ways. Access to food options may be limited due to the location of people’s homes or means of transportation. There may be an absence of fresh food or there could be a limited choice of affordable food items. People’s social environments may stigmatize people who are hungry, which is another aspect of food justice.
Food justice and financial wellness
Food injustice perpetuates the unequal class structure in the United States. Without educating ourselves, we could unintentionally support stigmas and misconceptions around poverty and hunger. One common misconception is that only the poorest of poor people are hungry, but we want everyone to know that hunger can exist outside of poverty.
Food justice and social wellness
By reducing the stigma associated with poverty and hunger, we can create a safer space for people to access free or low cost food without harassment, judgment, or condescension. We can do this by normalizing the usage of places like food pantries or food justice community gardens.
We should avoid falling into the trap of “I’m helping you. I’m serving you. (I’m better than you),” also known as the “savior complex.” We can avoid this by transforming traditional “community service” or “volunteering” opportunities into those that create a social culture where ALL people work together to support each other.
By working together we can strengthen interpersonal relationships. This is the groundwork for community empowerment.
What does food justice have to do with UNC?
Student Wellness and other campus and community partners are very proud to support a wonderful student initiative! Starting October 17, 2014, we will welcome UNC’s very first on-campus food pantry: The Carolina Cupboard. This pantry will be located in the Avery Residence Hall Basement, Room #BC and will be open to UNC students. Stay tuned for more information on how you can qualify!
By bringing a pantry to campus we are increasing access to food and promoting food justice. We hope you will work with us, the Residence Hall Association, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Community Involvement, and other advisory board representatives to join this group of motivated and passionate undergraduate students to reduce stigma!
What does it have to do with us (students)?
This is a unique opportunity at Carolina for all of us to educate ourselves about the issues affecting our Tar Heel community. It’s up to ALL of us to make sure we all feel safe, supported, and included on this campus. Soon, the campus will be flooded with donation bins (graciously supplied by Vice Chancellor Crisp) in various locations – including our Wellness Suite on the 2nd floor of the Campus Health Building. Once the donation bins are up and running, we encourage you to fill them up!
Here’s what you can do NOW: ‘Like’ the Tar Heel Wellness Challenge Facebook page. For the next 14 days, we have a social media challenge about “Environmental Wellness,” one of the dimensions we talked about above. Comment on this blog post below or write a post on the Facebook page with #THWC. You can write about food justice, environmental wellness, or another relevant topic that is important to you. By participating in an activity (such as a writing exercise) related to environmental wellness, you get entered into a raffle to win $20.00 to the UNC Student Stores!
Stay tuned for more information, including the Carolina Cupboard’s new website! In the meantime, participate in the #THWC challenge, and mark your calendars from September 29 through October 3 for a UNC Food Pantry kick-off week!
Updates: Check out Carolina Cupboard’s social media pages!
Website: http://carolinacupboard.strikingly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaCupboard
Twitter: @UNCFoodPantry
Jani
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