Health and Wellness 5
“I do not ^rcc with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
d
From the Well of a Wise Woman
New Year, New You?
Cannen S. Lentz, LPC, NCC
The reality of the New Year us to replicate. Before long, our
is here, and if you’re like most of brain begins to desire the dopamine
us, you’ve probably made a list of producing agent, and we are driven to
things you want to change. Whether find it and reexperience it. The cycle is
its dropping those extra pounds you formed: you do something pleasurable
picked up from holiday indulgences, and dopamine producing, and your
quitting smoking, giving up alcohol, body then drives you to repeat it.
gambling, saving money, getting That’s why change is so hard: change
organized, starting an exercise means fighting the fimdamental
routine, or whatever, if you’re like neurobiology of the brain. Dopamine
most people, you find swapping old producing agents will vary for each of
habits for new ones really hard to do us. As Paul Nagy, a substance abuse
(as in almost impossible). Either you counselor, once explained: “ Let’s
resolve to do something, start, have pretend I’m trafficking contraband
a setback, try £^ain, have another set (and what is considered contraband
back, and then give up completely, or will vary by person, for some of us its
you don’t get started at all. You think food, for others its drink, for others
aboutchanging, you visualize the new its street drugs, etc..).lf I have some
you, you make a list of all the reasons stuff and thirty people in a room with
you need to do this, all the while me, and 1 offer it to each of them,
finding yet one more reason why some will not like it and won’t have
today isn’t a good day to start. It’s too any interest in it at all, some will
cold, it’s too hot, I don’t have time, I have a mildly pleasurable sensation,
don’t feel good, the list goes on. Why but won’t be motivated enough to
is this? What can be done about it? care about repeating it, and some
Neuroscience helps us understand will follow me out to my car to find
why we struggle with change, our how they can get some more.”
The very condensed version goes So, how do you defeat the cycle?
something like this: pleasurable Research has found a few ways. One
activities (chocolate, alcohol, cocaine, is rewards. Treating yourself after
etc...) cause our brains to release a maintaining good behavior helps you
powerful chemical, dopamine. The rewrite die script and get payoff for
brain records the good feeling we got, exercismg, eatmg better, studying,
and creates a memory around that or whatever positive activity you are
good feeling that it then encourages attempting to maintain. The reward
Starting the Day Right
Melody Kirkpatrick
How are you
feeling towards the mid
dle of the day? Have you
wanted to stretch out on
the grass? Or maybe you
would like to take a nap
on the bench? If this de
scribes your mood before
your morning is over,
then continue reading.
Drinking or eating
foods that contain sugar
may be a quick option
but it’s not the healthiest
way for eating breakfast.
Sugar can cause you to
feel tired and stressed.
Low- fat yogurt would
be a tasty treat because
it is low in sugar. Yo
gurt low in fat and sugar
won’t leave you sluggish.
The best part is yogurt
comes in a variety of dif
ferent flavors and that in
cludes chocolate. If that
does not put you in the
mood for breakfast, then
I don’t know what will.
Breakfast is the key
to making your day more
enjoyable but it depends
balance work and social activities.
Change is hard, but it isn’t impossible.
Each of us knows people who have
made the hard changes: lost the weight,
stopped drinking, or thrown away the
cigarettes. If they can be successftil,
you can do it too. Oood luck!!
I' •*•••••••• for more iftformation
or to make an appointment contact
k J| Carmen Lentz at Lenacs%sapc.edK or
^ P I call 5036.
Carmen Lentz. Picture cour
tesy of Rooney Coffman
needs to be something that really
motivates you or it won’t work. Give
some real thought to what will help
you stay on track. Things that trigger
old behaviors need to be avoided as
well: sights, smells, and sounds, all
the subtle cues that are associated with
the old behaviors need to be avoided
while new ones are developed. That’s
why the alcoholic needs to stay out
of the bar and the chocolate fanatic
shouldn’t ask to see the dessert menu.
Another tip to remember is that stress
makes us revert back to old behaviors.
If you want to have a better chance of
making change permanent, try to keep
stressors to a .minimum and practice
good stress reduction techniques if
you do experience stress. Take good
care of yourself as you work towards
your goal: schedule physical activity
into your day, get adequate sleep.
DIY: Extracurricular
on what you eat. Cereal
is an excellent choice
because it provides vi
tamins and minerals to
energize your morning
routine. Special K, total,
or other whole grain, or
wheat cereals will give
you the nutrients and
energy needed through
out the day. Use low-fat
milk with your cereal
and add your favorite
fruit to customize it.
Oatmeal is another op
tion even though it might
sound tasteless or yucky,
but you should try the
new and improved fla
vors. Within the variety
of oatmeal categories,
you will find banana and
apple flavors. Just like
with cereal, you can al
ways add your favorite
fruit toppings. Make
breakfast a part of your
morning and your morn
ings will run smoother.
Breakfast is the
best way to
start your day.
Sara Messina
Balancing work and fun just seems
to create less fiin. Here’s just
some quick rules for signing up for
clubs and other out-of-class fim.
Don’t sign up for things that
might have long-lasting conflicts.
When the semester gets into fiill
swing, the officers and other club
members coimt on everyone to
participate, so don’t let the club
become a down fall for those
who like what they are doing.
Overall, don’t commit absolutely
without knowing your schedule.
When club rush week goes
ftfound, put in your information and
go to the first meetings, but don’t
commit to anything absolutely
until your sure you want to.
It’s okay to say no. Go for the
activities you have a high interest
in and if they don’t work out
there’s always next semester.
Never, ever, just commit because
your fiiends are since the people
involved will be counting on you and
your enthusiasm to add to die club.
Lastly, if you do join and don’t
like the club right off, give it
some time. New members can
practically recreate a club with
their own style of doing things.
Just because traditions go one way
doesn’t mean they’ll stay that way.
Being In With Safety
While St Andrews is a safe place, it is impcMlant to
keep in mind the important phone numbers of Campus Safety
and Security, RD on Duty and the Laurinburg Police Defnrt-
ment/Medical Emergency. If an event woe to arise please
contact the ap|Mx>priate party.
Campus Safety and Security:
5II2
Campus Security Cell Phone:
9-280-2895
RD on Duty: 9-280-1753
Laurinburg Police/Medical
Emergency: 9-911
Student Evaluation in Educaticmai
Programs
Cnimxpling Relaied Tt^ics
healthy relationships
self empowerment
body image
women’s issues
relaxation/vistialization techniques
stress management
smoking cessation
anger management
depression
anxiety
eating disorders
Programs would meet for one hour ant
would provide a broad overview of the
topic. Meeting dates and times will he
determined
If interested in these (or other) top
ics please contact Carmen Lentz at
LentzCS@sapc. edu
r