Focus on Nutrition

The topic that I found to be really interesting was the lecture on nutrition.  Learning how the food we eat needs to taste good and be nutritious was actually really surprising for me.  I was really a picky eater as a child and always associated healthy food to taste really bad.  I never would eat salad or many vegetables at all because I had a negative connotation  towards them.  Not until college did I learn that foods could be healthy, and also taste very good at the same time.  I studied abroad this past May in Italy and before I went I had never eaten pasta before besides regular spaghetti.  During the trip I was able to try so many different kinds of food that were all really amazing.  I found out the foods we were eating were also very nutritious and good for the body.  Not until I got home from the study abroad did I truly appreciate how healthy they were when people at home told me I had lost weight while over there.  I surely ate until my stomach was content the entire time (it was Italy after all) but because the foods were healthy and part of the Mediterranean diet, I was able to shed a few pounds.
This topic impacts my life because one of the first steps in being healthy is eating right.  I enjoy leading a healthy lifestyle and there is only so much exercise can do for a person.  When you eat right, you also feel better and are in a better mental state.  Eating right is part of a lifestyle that leads to a long healthy life.  This topic is extremely important to public health because in order for the population as a whole to be healthy, everyone needs to start eating better, more healthy foods.  When there is a McDonalds at every street corner eating healthy can be a challenge and so we need to propagandize to the public to take the harder path and eat healthy.   Parents must teach their children at a young age to eat healthy and make wise decisions regarding foods.  Kids learn from their parents, so if parents are setting good, nutritious standards for their kids, the future looks bright.
I am still curious about limiting the amount of meat and protein we eat.  My family has always eaten a lot of meat and potatoes and I am curious of the long term problems associated with this.

TIPH: Reflection on Stress- Urvashi Pandya

Probably the most influential lecture thus far this semester for me has been the one one stress, which was given by guest speaker Tara Misra. Defined as "the general state of the body, mind, and emotions, when an environmental stressor has triggered the stress response", the way we cope with stress has the capacity to influence our mental and physical health. When faced with any type of stress, our bodies undergo a physiological reaction (for example, dilate pupils and increased heart rate) and we go through three specific stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. This topic drew me in because stress is a common phenomenon, but also one of the most poorly coped with health issues.  We all have heard of ways to cope with stress, but many times fail to implement them. It is also extremely relevant to college life, as we constantly juggle stressors such as classes, exams, jobs, extracurriculars, and our social lives. We can moderate our stress through more efficient time management and physical activity, but getting people on this track can be a challenge. Stress is a public health concern because long periods of stress can debilitate populations. A overly stressed population is one that can be mentally unstable and prone to more illnesses. 

One further question I would have on this topic: how do our genetics play a role in the way we handle and cope with stressors?

This is Public Health: Sleep Deprivation

   The issue discussed in class that I would like to address is the negative effects of chronic sleep deprivation. I found this topic to be interesting because as an athlete, sometimes I fail to get a reccommended 8 hours a night. The class discussions taught me how necessary it is that I get a full nights sleep. Some consequences of chronic sleep deprivation include; a decrease in alertness, memory impairment, stress, and a poor quality of life. Many automobile accidents are caused by the effects of people driving sleep deprived. Chronic sleep deprivation also causes many health problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and psychiatric problems.

   

  The discussions of this topic in class has motivated me to talk to my father about his sleeping problems. He is always working and barely makes time for himself to sleep at night, but he doesn't seem to realize the harm that he is doing to all of the systems in his body. If I can convince my dad to plan his day better to allow more sleep, then I believe he would be a happier person and he would feel better throughout his day. 

  This issue is important to public health because college students need to educate themselves on the effects of chronic sleep deprivation. It is a big issue for college students especially because some students will stay up all night either studying or completing an assignment. Most of these students think that they can drink cups of coffee during the week and try to catch up on their sleep over the weekend, but they are mistaken. Once you lose a nights sleep you can not make that night up because the effects from the night before have already taken place.

TIPH Photo (Herman C. Michael Park)

This picture was taken at the Herman C. Michael park in Watkinsville, GA. The park is an example of public health because it benefits the entire population of the Athens area by providing free access to tennis courts, walking trails, basketball courts, and a disc golf course. I chose this as my example because I frequently go to the park to play disc golf. I think others should go to the park because its a great place to go to get exercise, try a new sport, and fresh air.

Reflection on Nutrition

In class on Tuesday, we had a guest speaker, Ben, come in to talk about Nutrition. He talked about what we all already know: that our nutrition is important because it is what gives us energy to do things everyday, such as homework, going to class, or even pulling an all-nighter to cram for a test. However, what Ben discussed was how it specifically affects college students, a.k.a. us. He discussed that eating healthy right now as a college student is critical to how we will eat in the future, as we continue to stray away from being dependent on our parents, to living on our own. This statement made a great point because up until now, our parents have always controlled what we eat from what they bought at the grocery store and what they made at home. Since we are living on our own now, we get to decide what foods we are going to eat. Now most of us are on the meal plan, so our choices may be limited to what the dining halls prepare, but we still have to choose from a variety of foods. This is where Ben talked about establishing the “Healthy Plate,” where we portion size our meals with protein, whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. What I learned from this is that more than half of each meal should consist of fruit and vegetables, because they are what give you most vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy and work at full capacity. The other half of whole grains and protein are also important for your body's sugar levels and amino acids for muscle building. Establishing the “Healthy Plate” at every meal can be challenging due to what is available to us and/or what we can afford to buy, but every goal takes baby-steps. Therefore, as Ben discussed, we should establish small goals daily or weekly to get us towards our long term goal of eating healthy and having a balanced diet.

The reason why I am reflecting on this topic is because I truly have an interest in nutrition because it affects my major,and also because I am a Type 1 Diabetic. Being a Type 1 Diabetic, I always have to watch what I eat for every meal. For instance, eating too much whole grains/ carbohydrates or sugars will greatly affect my blood glucose levels throughout the day. In result, I try to limit my intake of carbohydrates and sugars, and increase my intake of protein and vegetables. Over the past four years since I have been diagnosed, eating healthy everyday in this manner has been challenging since most of my childhood I didn't have to worry about it as much., but luckily I have been successful about turning my diet around. With this huge adjustment in my life, I have really seen a positive outcome in my diet, my energy levels throughout the day, as well as control over my disease. Therefore, I believe nutrition is important to discuss in public health because many people do not fully understand the meaning of a healthy balanced meal and increasing nutrition awareness will help fix that problem and possibly reduce health risks in future populations. I also believe its important because it can help reduce the obese population percentage if people knew more about eating healthy in any type situation that they are faced with. The question is who will rise up to the challenge to raise awareness and what is the best way to raise nutrition awareness that will make people active towards the healthy movement?

Reflection on Sleep

My reflection is on the sleep lecture we had in class. I never knew that consistently not getting enough sleep could cause serious health problems. I knew it would weaken your immune system, but I never thought a stroke could derive from lack of sleep. This is has a huge impact on my as a college student because I rarely get enough sleep. This is magnified by the fact that I work late nights and do all my studying at night and go to class during the day. If I continue with this habit later into life may kill me. This is very important to public health because many college student have similar schedules to mine and need to be made aware of how it could impacted them.
I am curious to know if the damages of sleeping very little can be rectified once a regular sleep pattern is set in place.

Reaction/Reflection on Nutrition

Nutrition is a very important topic regarding public and individual health.  The lecture the guest speaker Ben gave really interested me and made me realize certain aspects of nutrition I did not previously know.  Nutrition is important for many reasons including quality of life and the future.  So many different aspects of life affect nutrition.  Many people believe what you eat and how much you exercise are the only things that affect overall nutrition.  While the types of foods eaten and exercise are very important, other aspects of life that greatly affect nutrition include sleep, stress, and mental health.  The topic of nutrition interested me because I want to be able to do everything I can to have the best quality and quantity of life. My family was always very active and healthy growing up, and I want to continue these healthy habits through my life.  I also know of some diseases that run in my family and being as nutritious as possible can help to prevent me from being diagnosed with the diseases.  I also have had friends that use crash diets and have many health related issues because of them.  I want to give my body the nutrients it needs to work the best it can.  Nutrition affects my life every day.  Every time I eat a meal I have a choice to be healthy and have a well balanced diet, or I can chose to eat foods with great amounts of fats and sugars.  Nutrition also affects my social life and family.  I want both my family and friends to be healthy so they can be happy, healthy, and have the capability to do many different things.  In the United States over the past twenty years, obesity has drastically increased.  This decline in nutrition presents our country with a national public health issue.  While obesity ranks as one of the most harmful health problems, the good news is that it is completely preventable.  Actions need to be taken at the national level because the rise in unhealthy lifestyle habits affects the entire population.  There are many avenues to begin to reverse of obesity in America.  The government and the American people need to make the choice to become more nutritious and use recourses such as the “My Plate” and actually read the labels on goods bought.  I do still have a few questions regarding nutrition including different choices such as vegetarianism and veganism and if it is a nutritious and healthy choice. Also, I have heard many things about the time you eat meals and how it affects how the body metabolizes the food. I would like to know more information about these two health questions.          

Public Health Photo

This is a Purell hand sanitizer dispenser at a Chick Fil A here in Athens. It is public health because it is a way of promoting good hygiene and preventing germs from spreading. I chose this for my photo blog because I think it is a prime example of what public health is all about: promoting the good and diminishing the bad. It is not a huge breakthrough for the health world, but every little thing helps get that much closer to the goal of better public health.

TIPH Picture - Curtis Jester

Public Health Post

This was in a bathroom of a jittery joes.
This is an example of public health because it advocates the strict rule of handwashing for employees to limit the spread of germs.
I chose this example because I came across it when I was getting my favorite drink from JJ and had to use the restroom
Others should consider this example of public health by a common experiment using a phosphorescent chemical that you add to your hands and without proper washing, can be seen spreading to everything you touch where it then resides. In real world examples this could be germs or diseases so It's important to was your hands.

Valentine's Day reflection

I got to thinking after our class's visit from Ben Gray about nutrition, especially for holidays like Valentine's Day. I remember last year my Valentine and I went out to a restaurant and I could hardly eat half of what I had ordered. This highlights the issue of portion control in this country, where our portions are decidedly larger than in any other nation! My trusty companion, the Internet, and I teamed up to find a solution to the expensive, calorie-laden surplus of food that is the norm for a Valentine's dinner. Now, my Valentine and I love potatoes, in any form. I did some research and discovered a study that demonstrates purple potatoes are the only starches that do not add pounds to your body (the way mashed/fried/etc potatoes certainly do). The purple color that gives these potatoes such a striking look also means they are high in antioxidants, namely Anthocyanin. I'm planning to cut them up and roast them with olive oil and rosemary! My Valentine and I decided to pair them with correctly portioned garlic baked chicken and plenty of fresh greens, all for MUCH less than had we decided to venture out downtown to a restaurant. Give these odd-looking, purple potatoes a shot to save some calories and get some added nutritional value this Valentine's Day!

The Importance of Sleep.

Ever since we discussed healthy sleeping habits in class I realized how much sleep affects my daily life. The times when I don't get enough sleep, I am extremely grouchy and unproductive. I also seem to make unhealthy decisions as well; such as being lazy and eating unhealthy foods. On the contrary, when I get a good night's sleep, I am more energized and tend to make healthier decisions. Recently I've been trying to follow a more constant sleeping pattern. I've been going to bed earlier and waking up earlier. This works out well for me because I am most productive in the morning. Sleep is also important for your emotional well-being. I said I was grouchy when I didn't get enough sleep, and this is because I tend to think more negative thoughts on days of little sleep. If you are constantly sleep deprived, it could lead to more serious emotional issues.  Sleep effects every aspect of your life in some way. It is also extremely important for learning. When you sleep, you retain information. So when you don't get an adequate amount of sleep, you may not remember important information from the day before. So when you are trying to study for tests, pulling an all-nighter might not be as productive as it seems. Remember, in order to be healthy, adequate sleep is a must!

In response to Shelby's public health photo of hand sanitzer:

I think having the hand sanitizers in public restrooms is a great idea.  Although, like you said, it is not a huge breakthrough, I believe something as small as this could really help.  People who stop into fast food restaurants are often in somewhat of a hurry, and the hand sanitizer is an effective way to clean your hands without taking up more than a few seconds of your time.  Another interesting thing I have seen recently with public restrooms is the installation of the "open the door with your arm" levers.  I have no idea what these things are really called, but the concept is that you do not have to use your hands to open the door.  This prevents you from picking up germs from other people, and you no longer have to open the door with your shirt, paper towel, or whatever you use to avoid touching that public restroom door handle.  These may be minor improvements in the grand scheme of public health, but in my opinion improving the cleanliness of public bathrooms is always a good step.

Bill Stefanich

Reflection: Money Buys You Health

Kebora Weir

Health Promotions

Reflection

Describe what the topic or issue is that you learned in class

-          The video that showcased how an individual’s economic status can impact their health really made an impression on me. Statistics and personal stories of people from different economic statuses really presented how someone’s salary can lead to them living in a certain neighborhood, which leads to stress and health related problems.

Describe why this topic or issue interested you (can include specific aspects)

-          This topic interested me because how much of the information correlated to health overall. The video was split into different stories of people from different districts that range from a rich neighborhood to a poor. What stood out to me majority of the people in the video worked under in the same hospital. However, they had different positions with income that ranged from the highest to the lowest. For example, one guy had a very high salary for he had the highest position of the hospital. He explained that he was wealthy and addition stated that he was not as stressed. On the other hand, an elderly woman, in another district,  lived off of a couple of hundred dollars. She was not as stress, but she had no job or medical insurance and had numerous health problems. 

Critically reflect how this topic impacts your life (social, religious, familial, etc)

-          This topic made me reevaluate my health since I come from a neighborhood where there are fast food restaurants, rundown shelters, and little healthy options. However, my saving grace was coming to a college where I did have the opportunity to be healthy and will obtain a job that pays well. In the future, I will take account this video and really assess the neighborhood I plan on living in, so my own family will have that option of being healthy. 

Critically reflect how this topic is important to public health

-          Public health takes into account the environment people live in. Sometimes people do not have the ultimate choice of being healthy. For example, certain jobs in a poor neighborhood won’t pay as much as jobs in a wealthy community, where corporations are thriving. In a low neighborhood, people have to live within their means, which may mean living off fast foods everyday or anticipating the next paycheck.This lack of control stresses people out, especially since money makes the world go around. I appreciated how the video really gives a wider perspective of public health and that it opened my eyes to how fortunate I am to be in college right now since I come from a similar poor neighborhood. It focuses on the health of a community in different living situations and economic statuses.

 What remaining questions do you have regarding this topic or issue?

-          How can we change how the neighborhoods are set up? What plans or laws can the government implement that would provide people in underprivileged neighborhoods opportunity to be healthy? Unfortunately, people can't help being brought up into a neighborhood where healthy resources and high paying jobs are limited. I believe it should not be this way.

Reflection Post: Stress

Stress affects each and every one of us. A healthy amount of stress is required in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stress induces motivation and willingness to work hard to achieve something. In the past, I struggled with dealing with large amounts of stress. My first year of college was filled with many stressful events and at the time I believed I handled them in a healthy way. After hearing the presentation about mental health and stress in our class, I discovered I was actually handling stress in an unhealthy way.

Last year, I thought the best was to deal with stress was to isolate myself from others and not tell them that I had tremendous amounts of stress. I would sit in my dorm room by myself getting anxious over the next task that I had to complete and worry too much about the future outcome, rather than the problem I had right in front of me. Other things that I did was stay up all night, eat unhealthy, and not partake in much physical activity. At the time, I believed these things would help me deal with my stress. If I hate junk food, I thought it would make me feel better about my stress load. If I didn't sleep, I could catch up on all the things I committed to complete. If I didn't workout, I could have more time to complete my homework or get ahead for the next class. These things not only affect my physical appearance, but my relationships with others. If I was really stressed out, I would be moody around others and have a negative attitude. Obviously after hearing that presentation, I realized my habits I acquired freshman year were not ideal ways to cope with stress.I should have surrounded myself with those who supported me. I should have exercised because I enjoy exercising, and I have learned it helps me release a lot of stress. And I should have slept more because sleep is essential for a healthy brain and energy throughout the day. The start of my sophomore year gave me motivation to change my ways and I started to deal with my stress in a much better way. After the presentation in class, it made me realize that a lot of people cope with stress in the wrong way and I had fallen victim to one of those people in the past. However, my efforts to change have been very effective and after the presentation in class, I was given many tools to further my efforts in coping with stress in a healthy way.

I believe stress is a very important aspect of public health. Stress impacts all aspects of our lives, and those we surround ourselves with. My negative attitude and bad mood affected not only myself, but all those I came into contact with. A majority of Americans have way to much stress and are also unaware of the proper ways to cope with stress. They are also unaware of the types of health problems that are likely to occur if you have high levels of stress and you do not deal with them correctly. Educating those on positive and healthy ways to deal with stress would be a great way to let others know that stress is okay, but too much can cause many health issues.

The only question I have regarding this issue is in relation to my future workplace:
How can you lower the stress level of those working in a high stress environment such as a hospital, when it is easy to be distracted by the workload that is given?

Reflection on Stress Management

Reflection on Stress Management
Emma Ashton
2/14/13

I wanted to discuss the lecture about stress management and how stress can negatively affect your health. I always knew there were many ways you can manage stress, but this lecture definitely came up with a few more ways I never thought about. I find stress management key to my personal health due to the fact that I have a chronic illness. Crohns disease can be put at bay with medication, but it can easily flare up. There are many factors that go into a flare up, but the biggest is definitely stress. I know from experience that when I start getting overwhelmed and stressed I tend to start getting sicker too. Lowering my stress levels has definitely been the hardest challenge I have come across while attending college. Once you get stressed from one area of your life, it starts affecting everything else. For instance, when you have a bunch of tests one week you start getting stressed out and then start taking it out on the people around you, then your social life starts to have problems causing even more stress. This lecture provided a good insight on how to balance it all and try to prevent stress from building up. A little bit of stress is good, it can be used as motivation. However, being stressed for long periods of time can lower your immune system, which is exactly what you don't need! Stress is such a big part of everyone's lives which means people need to take it seriously. A lot of people think the answer to stress is self medicating such as drinking alcohol or eating abnormally. Self medicating can lead to destructive cycles and will not relieve stress. It is a public health issue because everyone should know how to lower or relieve stress. If people stay chronically stressed there will be serious consequences to their health such as lowered immune system, strained heart, and damage to memory cells in the brain. I know personally that I can't afford to get stressed because otherwise I will get sick,then get behind in school, which then leads to more stress. It is a never ending cycle that a lot people get stuck in. I would be curious to see how other societies cultures go about stress and managing it. Would their ways make them healthier people?

Reflection: Sleep

Learning about sleep and what an important role it plays in your health was very interesting to me. I am pretty busy most of the time and have never made sleep a priority. I knew that it probably wasn’t the best decision, but I never knew all of the real effects it had on my body and how detrimental it could be to my health overall. We learned that lack of sleep effects memory retention, cognitive functioning and is associated with serious chronic diseases like obesity and heart disease. I am a nutrition major and so I eat pretty well and exercise regularly, but this is an aspect that I did not even know could be so detrimental to my health. Sleep is a really important public health topic because it literally effects everyone. I think it should be especially promoted and discussed among college students since we are highly likely to be at risk for sleep deprivation. Knowing the seriousness of the consequences of sleep debt and deprivation may cause others to reconsider the way they prioritize sleep. Consequently, it could help in decreasing some of the health issues, both mental and physical, that people suffer from. I would like to learn more about what diseases have the highest correlation with sleep deprivation and look at some of the studies that have been done depicting this. 

Catherine Rueppel

This Is Public Health - Intramural Softball Field

The Intramural Fields at The University of Georgia are located near East Campus, across College Station Road. There are many different kinds of fields at this location but the picture is of one of the softball fields.  This is public health because it is a place where people within the community (both of the University and the Athens community) are able to come and recreate. These areas are available to the University community first, and then to the public.  The public is able to come and use the tennis courts, soccer fields and miles of trails located here (just to name a few).  These facilities were constructed with the mindset of keeping the public healthy so that they live longer, healthier lives.  Public recreation facilities are important in maintaining and promoting the healthy lifestyles of community members because it allows them to relieve stress from work, school, and home lives; it allows them to exercise; and it allows them to build healthy social relationships with other community members.  I chose to speak about the Intramural Fields because I often find myself here with my friends playing games of capture the flag and ultimate frisbee.  Enjoying yourself while exercising is integral to wellness.

Reflection on Nutrition

I wanted to reflect on the presentation about nutrition that we had earlier this week. the topic was how to better our health nutrition wise. This topic interested me because the United States is on a decline nutrition wise and on a rise on obesity and too much weight gain. We as a people need to eat healthier and less amount of unhealthy food. This topic impacts my life because I want to eat healthier and reduce fat and sugar intake that can lead me down the road to a bad lifestyle. I learned that I need to increase wheat, fruits, and vegetables in my diet. I need to stop eating out in fast food restaurants and try to eat home cooked meals. This topic is important to public health because we as a nation are one of the most obese countries in the world. We also have a lot of health complications due to the food. We have to plan out what to eat and eat often to keep our metabolism up. I do not know why the government does not push harder for the fast food industry to change their food to make it more healthier.

This Is Public Health! Condoms

This is a picture of condoms around a safer sex 101 pamphlet in my room. This is an example of public health because condoms promote safe sex and are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of STDs, STIs, and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. I chose this example because I believe that sexual health is very important and I believe that condoms should be used consistently and correctly to reduce that risk of transmission. It is important for others to consider condoms as a form of public health because most STDs don't have immediate signs or symptoms and if you dont know you have it then you can spread the viruses to others, and it can become an epidemic. Wrap it up!

Reflection: Sleeping

Learning about sleep and what an important role it plays in your health was very interesting to me. I am pretty busy most of the time and have never made sleep a priority. I knew that it probably wasn’t the best decision, but I never knew all of the real effects it had on my body and how detrimental it could be to my health overall. We learned that lack of sleep effects memory retention, cognitive functioning and is associated with serious chronic diseases like obesity and heart disease. I am a nutrition major and so I eat pretty well and exercise regularly, but this is an aspect that I did not even know could be so detrimental to my health. Sleep is a really important public health topic because it literally effects everyone. I think it should be especially promoted and discussed among college students since we are highly likely to be at risk for sleep deprivation. Knowing the seriousness of the consequences of sleep debt and deprivation may cause others to reconsider the way they prioritize sleep. Consequently, it could help in decreasing some of the health issues, both mental and physical, that people suffer from. I would like to learn more about what diseases have the highest correlation with sleep deprivation and look at some of the studies that have been done depicting this. 

Catherine Rueppel

Reflection/Reaction: Nutrition

Recently, Ben Gray from UGA's Health Center came in to discuss Nutrition with us. He talked about what eating healthy generally entails. He told us what a good diet consists of and that we do not need to stop unhealthy foods cold turkey, but incorporate healthier foods in your diet more and more. It takes baby steps, and time to change your eating habits. He also gave us the three things you should decrease: solid fats/added sugars, salt, and packed food. You should try to minimize trans-fat, as well. There are also foods you should try to eat more of: vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Although eating a nutritious diet is important, you should still enjoy what you are preparing for yourself. Watch out for your portions, too; just because a food is healthy doesn't mean you should overdo it. Lastly, Mr. Gray helped paint a picture of what a balanced plate should look like. 

This lecture was particularly interesting to me because I love food. The way you can put two very different foods or flavors together, but they will mix perfectly. How certain foods are loved by some, but avoided by others. The different ways food can adjust to a person's lifestyle, like with allergies, gluten-free diets, vegans, etc. Also, it amazed me the different nutrients and benefits various foods provide; for instance, carrots and good for your eyes, apples are hearty in fiber, and broccoli is a powerful cancer fighting vegetable. Plus, I just love to eat. At one point, I loved food so much, I thought "Hey, I would probably love learning about it as well." So, I decided to become a nutritionist. I'm not sure if I'm still on that path; however, the topic of nutrition is still important to me. 

Nutrition is also detrimental to my health. I would like to live a long, healthy life, and food can help with that. I should develop strong bones now, so I can lessen my risk of osteoporosis in the future. I need to keep my brain active and alert, and hopefully I can slow the aging process down and keep my cognitive abilities up. However, not only is this topic important to me, it should be taken seriously when it comes to everyone. Nutrition is a big part of public health. It would fall into the first stage of Prevention Efforts, inhibiting the development of a disease. If you pay attention to your nutrition, eat right, and take care of your body early on, you have less of a chance of getting sick. Nutrition is not only about eating now; it takes a toll in the future as well. We strive for the best quality of life possible.

Mr. Gray did a great job explaining this topic and how we don't need to stop eating what we like to live a better lifestyle. I do not have any questions at this time, but if I do (or if anyone does), I'll make sure to keep him in mind.

Hannah Galt Reaction Piece

Hannah Galt

February 14, 2013

Reaction Piece

One of the most interesting and what I feel is one of the most important lessons that we have been taught about this far in the semester was the lecture from the guest speaker from the University Health Center, Mr. Ben Gray.  He talked about the importance of nutrition to us as college students and how our diet can and does impact our all-around performance.  He discussed ways that we could plan ahead with our meals, both for students on the meal plan and for those who provide food for themselves.  While some of the things that we talk about in class are not relevant to the entire class, this lesson on nutrition and diet was something that every single person could have gained knowledge and insight from and used in their own day-to-day lives. 

I was particularly interested in this lesson because I have recently been very curious about what exactly I need to feed my body for the best results.  With all the different diets and new ideas floating around, sometimes it can be hard to discern what is and what is not a good idea in regards to eating habits.  The Build My Plate diagram that Mr. Gray explained simplified all of the information into one retainable image that is priceless when trying to decide what to put on my own plate in a dining hall full of food. 

This topic is of major importance in the field of public health.  Although the variables in health are limitless, the food that we put into our bodies is usually the main problem.  Educating the masses about nutrition, similar to how Mr. Gray taught our class, could be a big step in the right direction towards a healthier society.  His belief that food should first of all be delicious, second of all healthy, and third of all cheap is an idea that many, many people can agree with.  What society now needs to learn is how to get their hands on that type of food. 

While Mr. Gray did a great job of a general overview of nutrition, I am still curious about specifics regarding healthy eating.  I would like to know how to read the nutrition facts on labels and truly be able to understand what they mean.  I would like to know about individual foods and what they contain and how they impact the body.  Learning all of this will take time and research but every new piece of information will expand my knowledge and impact my own diet.      

Hannah Galt Photoblog

Hannah Galt

February 14, 2013

Photoblog

While most people do not think of traffic lights and painted crosswalks as elements of public health in our community, I believe that these safety precautions play a more significant role than we realize.  In Athens in particular, many people rely on walking for transportation.  I, for one, do not own a car so I have come to truly appreciate pedestrian crosswalks and lights like the one pictured.  Promoting and maintaining a community in which walking is a safe and low-stress mode of transportation encourages people to walk rather than drive their car or ride a bus.  Not only is this cost-efficient and better for the environment, but it is also a way for people to get more physical exercise.  Thus, more physical exercise leads to improved health.  The newer pedestrian lights have the button that walkers push as well as a beeping sound that notifies those who are blind when it is safe to cross the street.  I have even heard about an instance in town in which a lady in a wheel chair was not able to reach the button.  Local government authorities were contacted and the button was quickly relocated at a more appropriate height.  Making these advancements to serve more members of the community spreads the impact of elements of public health.  This particular pedestrian light is located at the intersection of Thomas Street and Hancock Avenue.  The pedestrian crosswalks around campus and in downtown Athens have a tremendous impact on the flow of traffic and the safety of all pedestrians.