February 2015 Health Bulletins

	Ask the Doc Dr. Pierre-Paul Tellier is Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Director of Student Health Services at McGill University in Quebec.

Ever since going to university, I started getting dry skin all over my body. Could the water in the showers be drying it?
—Josh W., first-year student, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario

Hi Josh,
Dry skin can become increasingly annoying, causing extreme itchiness and discomfort. As it worsens, the tendency to scratch, even while you’re sleeping, could lead to breaks in the skin and infections. So, let’s review some of the common causes and treatments to prevent your dry skin from getting to that stage.

Environmental conditions
This is one of the most common causes of dry skin. The levels of humidity in the environment vary across the country, so if the ambient air where you live is dry, it can dry your skin. This worsens in the winter because the building materials of our houses absorb moisture, a process that increases with heat.

How to keep in the moisture

• Keep your living quarters cool.
• Use a humidifier. Clean it regularly to avoid mould.
• Take baths instead of showers. Add about a tablespoon of oil to the water to increase moisture.
• After showering or bathing, apply lotion immediately. This will trap water near your skin and keep it moist.

Allergies or drying agents
Allergies are another common cause of dry skin. Allergens can be found all over, from the soap you lather up with in the shower to the laundry detergent and fabric softener you use. If you’re a swimmer, chlorine from the pool can also dry your skin.

How to minimize allergic reactions

• Try a different soap. Look for one without fragrances or dyes.
• Change your laundry detergent and stop using fabric softener.
• If you are in residence, buy your own sheets and wash them yourself. Remember, it takes several washes to remove all the older detergent and softener from your clothing.
• Shower and apply lotion after swimming.

Medical issues
Eczema is a skin condition that’s often made worse by the environmental factors mentioned previously.

Hypothyroidism or under-functioning thyroid can also lead to dry skin. If you are worried that your dry skin might be a result of a medical condition, consult your physician to see what tests and/or treatments are recommended.

Check your living space and products to see what environmental factors might be the cause of your dry skin. If none of those are the culprit, a quick visit to your health care provider may be worthwhile.

	Ask the Trainer Frankie Romeo is a certified personal trainer, small group training coach, and graduate student at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee

What’s the best way to lessen the discomfort of sore muscles a few days after a workout?
—Mersida K., Texas Women’s University in Denton

Soreness following a workout is better known as DOMS: delayed onset muscle soreness. What you’re feeling is damage to muscle fiber and connective tissue caused by the muscle-lengthening (eccentric) phase of an exercise.

This physiological response is nearly unavoidable for anyone who participates in unfamiliar or strenuous physical activity. Still, there are ways to reduce the discomfort and improve your recovery following a workout. These are my big three:

1. Be mindful of what you do in the gym
Did you just start the popular workout video series? Have you begun the latest weightlifting program? If so, you’ll probably experience soreness, because your body hasn’t yet adapted to the new exercises and intensity.

Be sure to start slow and progress from there. Don’t overlook the importance of warming up, cooling down, and stretching. Foam rolling is a newly researched recovery technique that involves soft tissue massage. Each of these can have a direct impact on the amount of bodily damage accrued from a workout.

2. Eat a complete diet
Consume a sufficient amount of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Carbohydrates and proteins are especially important, since they play a large role in protein synthesis–a process that aids in muscle repair. How much of each is recommended for you?

3. Get adequate sleep
Give your body time to restore itself. During sleep, energy consumption is lowered, which means more attention is brought to the muscles. Strive for an average of eight hours of sleep each night throughout the week. Unfortunately, this isn’t easy in college. Find the time for one or two naps during the day. Even 20 minutes of rest can make you feel better!

	Ask the Nutritionist Karen Moses, director of wellness and health promotion at Arizona State University in Phoenix.

Is it unhealthy to eat before you sleep?
—Jordan, Binghamton University, New York

For most healthy people, eating before bed isn’t a problem. In fact, eating moderate, healthy snacks before bed can actually help you sleep more soundly.

How can food affect sleep?
An empty, growling stomach can keep you awake at night, so going to bed hungry is a no-go. Stuffing yourself with a cheeseburger before bed isn’t going to help either, since high-fat foods can cause you discomfort and disrupt your sleep. Although the jury’s still out, some research shows that types of food can help you get a good night’s rest. These include complex carbohydrates, protein, or melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone.

Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates–found in whole grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, beans, and peas–may help promote sleep. This is because complex carbs have a role in serotonin and melatonin production, two chemicals in the body that help regulate sleep. Complex carbs are also satiating, which means they can help prevent you from feeling hungry during the night.

It’s best to pair complex carbs with a protein source. Good carb-protein combinations to snack on before bed include:

• Peanut butter on whole grain toast
• Whole grain cereal and milk
• Brown rice sprinkled with melted cheese
• Yogurt with granola

Foods that negatively affect sleep
Aside from cheeseburgers, there are some other foods and drinks that can make it more difficult to get a restful night. It’s best to avoid caffeine, alcohol, high-fat or high-sugar foods, spicy foods, and overeating before bed.

Will eating before bed make you gain weight?
There’s no reason to worry about gaining weight from eating before bed, unless your pre-bedtime meal causes you to eat more calories than you burned that day. It’s overall intake that counts, not timing.

The bottom line:

• It’s okay to eat a healthy snack or meal before bed.
• Try to eat foods that promote sleep.
• Avoid foods and beverages that disrupt sleep, e.g., large meals right before you hit the sack.

	Ask the Professor Amy Baldwin, MA, is the director of university studies at the University of Central Arkansas.

What are your tips for getting motivated to start an assignment, project, or paper?
—Jamie G., Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If you only knew how long I procrastinated before answering this question, you would realize that we all have trouble getting motivated. That’s even when we know the task (such as answering these great questions) will help us and others.

In college, though, getting motivated to complete an assignment can seem even more stressful, because you have so many to complete over a semester, and more (ahem!) enjoyable things you could be doing with your time.

These tips can help you get started
(and I just used two of them to get going on this answer–can you guess which?):

• Go for the goal. Remind yourself what your goal is in college (or in life!) and use that as a reason to complete the task. For example, if my goal is to get better at helping students be successful in college, then answering this question helps me achieve that.
• Break it down. If you have a 10-page paper due in two weeks and you don’t know where to start, break the assignment down into smaller tasks and schedule those in stages. For example, spend time brainstorming ideas for the paper on one day, and take your draft to a tutor on another day. Seeing a larger project as a sum of its smaller parts can make it less intimidating.
• Keep your eyes on a prize. When you get the task completed, give yourself a little reward for a job well done. The gift could be ten minutes surfing social media (for a small task achieved) or an hour watching a favorite episode of a TV show (for a larger task achieved). Rewards for completing tasks do not have to cost you a thing and can be a great way to create balance in your schedule, so you don’t burn out.

Now, get to work on that paper…or project…or assignment.

See our March issue for more evidence-based strategies on managing procrastination and deadlines.

Could you help a friend with an eating disorder?

By Brandy Reeves

Eating disorders are serious health conditions that require medical attention and personal and professional support. It’s estimated that in Canada, three percent of women will have an eating disorder at some point in their life. Although women may experience eating disorders more frequently, males are also susceptible. An estimated 1 in 20—30 people receiving treatment for eating disorders are male, and a recent study estimates that the rate is closer to one in three. To increase the chances of recovery, early detection and intervention is key.

Symptoms vary according to the type of eating disorder. The signs can include:

• Not eating enough
• Intense fear of weight gain
• Frequent periods of eating large amounts of food (which may or may not be followed by behaviours to stop weight gain, like induced vomiting)
• Feelings of shame or guilt around eating

How to help a friend
If you’re worried a friend might have an eating disorder, here’s what you can do to help:

• Be honest with your friend that you’re concerned. You could say something like, “I’m concerned about you, because you don’t eat breakfast or lunch.”
• Don’t make promises or threats, e.g., “If you don’t get help, I won’t speak to you again.”
• Use “I” statements instead of “you” statements (which imply blame). E.g., avoid saying, “You just need to eat,” or “You are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, try something like this: “I’d like to help you feel healthy and good about yourself.”
• Compliment your friend on their accomplishments and successes.
• Express your support. Let your friend know you are there to help/talk.
• Ask for help! You’re not expected to have all the answers. If you need advice or help, talk to your school’s health or counselling centre.

MORE INFO: National Eating Disorders Information Centre

Random acts of kindness week

By Brandy Reeves

How are you honouring Random Acts of Kindness Week (February 9-15)? Most people would agree that kindness has many benefits. Did you know it’s good for your health? It’s true: Kindness relieves stress. Kindness also improves mental health, test scores, and behavior. It’s contagious: Kindness leads to more kindness.

So what are some simple acts of kindness you can do every day? Try these:

• Walk a dog for a local senior (especially if it’s snowing, wet, or icy)
• Hold the door open for someone
• Pay it forward when buying coffee, donuts, or lunch
• Tell people how great they are
• Collect jeans for homeless youth or cell phones for domestic abuse survivors
• Let someone in line in front of you
• Be warm and supportive online
• Donate used textbooks and sporting equipment
• Become an organ donor
• Smile at strangers
• Don’t litter (and pick up other people’s litter)

• Make the world suck less: DoSomething.org
• Kindness activities: Random Acts of Kindness

Give your heart on Valentine’s Day

By Brandy Reeves

More than 4,500 people in Canada are waiting for an organ: parents, children, university students, grandparents, and others. By signing up to be an organ donor, you have the power to save a life. Actually, several lives: One organ donor can save up to eight people. Be wary of misconceptions about organ donation. Check the facts:

• If you are sick or injured and are admitted to a hospital, the #1 priority is to save your life.
• Most major religions support organ donation.
• Being an organ donor doesn’t cost any money to you or your family.
• When matching donors and recipients, several factors are considered, including severity of illness, blood type, and other important medical information.

How do I sign up?
Registering as an organ donor is easy. Sign up in your province.

How can I save a life today?
Donate blood! It’s easy and free. First-time donor? Here’s what you need to know:

• Every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood.
• The most common blood type requested by hospitals is Type O–but all blood types are needed.
• You can donate blood every 56 days, which is the time it takes for your body to replenish the red cells used in the donation.
• You can’t contract HIV from donating blood.
• While the blood is tested for disease, donating blood is not the same as getting tested for HIV/AIDS (if you are at risk for HIV/AIDS, you shouldn’t donate blood). If you want to be tested for HIV, visit your student health centre.