HealthBeat

06/02/2015

Hey HealthBeat fans! We hope your summer is off to an enjoyable start, but here's something to think about in-between bonfires and afternoon naps.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/vermont-says-no-to-the-anti-vaccine-movement

The state’s new law removing philosophical exemptions is a strong endorsement of the world’s most effective public-health tool.

05/08/2015

Today was our last show of the semester, so we hope you caught the show! If you didn't here's what we discussed:

THE FUTURE...

Our graduates at HealthBeat are embarking on all different career paths. We have future physician assistant, pharmacists, engineers and some who aren't quiet sure.

If you are considering joining us a HealthBeat next year, please feel free to message us! We would love to meet you.

Best of luck with finals. Thanks for listening and be well, Hawks!

05/06/2015

Finals mean stress. And stress can mean unhealthy eating.

But never fear, our health tip today can keep you from grabbing the wrong grub at the grocery store!

According to a study conducted at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, eating a healthy snack - such as an apple - before grocery shopping will help you to make healthier choices as you cruise through the aisles. Their subjects who snacked healthy bought 25% more fruits and veggies than their counterparts!

Moral of the story? Snack before you shop, people. It will help you out in the long run.
Oh! And don't forget to take a study break this Thursday at 7pm and tune in to KRUI for you favorite Iowa City radio program!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150429090108.htm

Individuals who ate an apple sample before shopping bought 25 percent more fruits and vegetables than those who did not eat a sample, new research shows. For consumers, the researchers recommend having a small healthy snack like a piece of fruit before shopping. Not only will it help decrease hunger…

05/01/2015

Today on our show we talked about excessive workout and orthorexia nervosa, defined for the first time in 1996. It is an unhealthy obsession with eating heathy food; a parallel to anorexia nervosa.

As people are becoming more and more conscious about what they're putting in their bodies. We think this is especially important for college kids who are so afraid to gain the freshman 15 that they become so obsessive about what they are eating.

It can interfere with one's ability to maintain relationships and look down on others for the food choices they make. As unhealthy as it can be for you to omit all variety from you diet, it can have equally harmful effects on your mental health.

In addition to food obsessions, excessive exercise can cause problems too. We talked about football players and the extremes they go to in order to perform their best because of external pressure from coaches or teammates.

Doing your research about exercise and diet choices before you make unrealistic goals for yourself!

04/28/2015

This week we want to remind you all to maintain balance and variety in your diets. We love to see people taking strides towards healthier lives, but how far is too far?

The eating disorder, Othorexia Nervosa, is growing in popularity with our nation's current health craze. Orthorexia Nervosa is characterized by disordered eating fueled by a desire for “clean” or “healthy” foods.

How do you know if you are eating well or eating obsessively? Check out this article to find out more:

http://dailyburn.com/life/health/orthorexia-nervosa-eating-disorders/

More and more people are being diagnosed with orthorexia nervosa, a condition characterized by an extreme preoccupation with being healthy and eating clean.

04/24/2015

If you missed our show today, here is a quick recap from our interview with Hannah and Sarah with the ImmUNITY Campaign , a student organization that advocates for vaccination funds for children in other countries and informs the general public about the benefits of vaccinations.

Vaccines prepare your immune system to defend against future invaders. Herd immunity, which is the goal of vaccination, occurs when a significant portion of the population the diseases are much less likely to spread.

What about the MMR autism debate? What does ImmUNITY think about the anti-vaccine stance? Two years ago they received no questions about the legitimacy of their campaign, but now there is more hesitation. People are less likely to allow them to advertise their program in business because they don't want their business to be involved in the debate. Vaccines are crucial to keeping our population healthy.

ImmUNITY reminds us that as Americans, we are fortunate that we have access to the vaccines that we do. Because we have fought off polio through our medical advances and access to vaccines, it is very unlikely polio is going to cause an endemic in the Us. Other countries aren't as lucky.

Today ImmUNITY celebrated Kid's Day as a celebration of childhood--vaccinations can give kids a shot at a healthy life.

Stop by Java House between April 24-30 and order a Cafe Miel and the proceeds go to a Shot@life

Friday there is an art show 5-7 at Beadology, all the proceeds will also go to a Shot@life!

04/24/2015

We have a great show planned for today! We will be talking with ImmUNITY about their current campaign!

https://www.facebook.com/immUNITYCampaign

The immUNITY Campaign envisions a global movement which advocates for social justice and ensures the equitable access to life-saving vaccines.

04/22/2015

With all of the low carb, no carb, gluten free chaos in our country today it is hard to know what the truth about carbohydrates is. Our tip today is to embrace the carbs!

There are many important health benefits to eating carbs that many people don't consider when they cut them out of their diets. Complex carbs boost your energy, aid in digestion, allow for optimal metabolism, and help your brain function among other things!

Its easy to make simple swaps to eat healthier foods. Use wheat bread instead of white bread, eat whole fruit instead of drinking a juice box and start your morning with oatmeal instead of a big bowl of Lucky Charms.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/benefits-of-complex-carbs-and-the-best-ones-to-eat/

The best complex carbs come from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Eating more of these foods will only benefit you and without them, you’ll likely suffer a number of health consequences.

04/17/2015

Today on the show we talked about the California drought, which as been going on for four years now. Did you know that the crops taking up water in California can influence which crops are available to us in Iowa?

Alfalfa, almonds and pistachios are the "thirstiest" crops. It takes a gallon of water to grow one almond. 70% of cattle consume alfalfa, 240 million gallons of water per year in California.

Heres the controversy: farmers don't have to reduce their water in California, farmers take up 80% of the water while the cities take only 20

Are farmers using more water than they should? Should California citizens make more of an effort to reduce?

Tell us what you think.

04/17/2015

And we're live! Tune into KRUI 89.7 to hear all things new in health and science from Leslie, Anthony and Konnor!

04/14/2015

Your health tip for today: Eat breakfast!

Maybe you are tired in your 8 am because you think you spent too much time on Buzzfeed the night before, or because you didn't have your coffee, or because your roommate's snoring is outrageous. But it could be because you didn't eat breakfast that morning. A variety of studies throughout the year have found that those who don't eat in the morning were more fatigued, less focused, and even scored lower on memory-based tests than their well-fed counterparts. So next time you get up with the birds, make yourself some oatmeal or scrambled eggs and feel the benefits!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/health/21real.html?_r=1&

Starting a day without a solid meal tends to have slight but detectable effects on mood, memory and energy level.

04/10/2015

Miss our show today? Miss your annual physical? Apparently, that is okay...? Konnor doesn't get an annual physical! Why should you? (Konnor is in the top left corner of our banner photo FYI).

Harvard physician says there is no correlation between annual physicals and life expectancy rates.

Only 21% of the population gets an annual exam but annual physicals costs a total in $10 billion annually.

But, on the personal level, many people don't you want that reassurance that comes with a checkup? Should we be cutting down on physicals?

We want to know what you think. Do you feel better after your annual physical or do you think they should stop doing yearly checkups?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/04/06/397100748/maybe-you-should-skip-that-annual-physical

Americans spend billions of dollars every year on annual physicals. But there's little evidence that a yearly checkup helps healthy adults. Some doctors are telling patients to skip it.