If someone asked you what the most important thing in your life is, what would you say? Some people say it’s their health but their actions prove otherwise – often due to misinformation or simple lack of knowledge. Here are some health and fitness tips that should be common knowledge but aren’t.

(Please note that while various health resources and professionals were consulted, this article should not be construed as medical/ health advice.)

1. Alcohol is not a food group.
The way so many people consume potent potables, you’d think it was the secret elixir of life. When you drink excessively you eat less because the caloric intake of alcohol keeps hunger at bay. This of course means that outwardly you may stay relatively trim, but inwardly you’re starving your body of appropriate nutrients. Not to mention, you’re damaging brain cells and shrinking your brain, creating water and electrolyte losses, and doing a variety of other damaging things. There is a very good reason why studies in the U.S., Canada, Britain, etc. have listed alcohol as one of the most dangerous drugs in the world.

2. You deserve a break right now.
Taking a break from work once in a while does not put you behind, despite popular opinion. It helps by letting your mind and body rest, thus preserving your health and sanity. The alternative is to keep working and burn out, which weakens your immune system and eventually sets your work back.

3. Stress will kill you.
Actually, it’s not so much the stress that will kill you, but your reaction to it and your way of dealing with it. It’s been estimated that somewhere between 75 and 90 per cent of all visits to health care providers are for stress-related ailments. Life is full of stress. There is no getting around it, but there are ways of dealing with it and finding outlets for it. Everyone is different in this respect. Some people need to find ways to let it out, others channel stress into activities, and still others need techniques that lessen it. Regardless of what works for you, the most important thing you can do is to not ignore stress and think you can’t do anything about it. Find time to deal with it; find a starting point.

[Read more →]

As part of Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s healthcare platform, young people up to age 25 could continue to get healthcare coverage on their parent’s health insurance plan. The Associated Press reports that while 17 states have upped the age of availability for insurance, in some cases to 29 and 30 years of age, other states have yet to do so; now, most states provide stipulations for young people up to age 19 for non-students and 23 for non-students. Estimates made by The Commonwealth Fund, a private organization tasked with promoting quality, access and efficiency of health care in the United States, predict 1.4 million people would gain health insurance if companies were mandated to provide coverage to young people thru their parent’s policies up to age 23.

[Read more →]

On Thursday, February 14, 2008 shortly after 3pm a gunmen entered a crowded classroom at Northern Illinois University. The gunmen opened fire, killing five students injuring 18 others and eventually taking his own life. In the early morning hours of April 16, 2007, a gunman attacked the campus of Virginia Tech killing 32 people. Unfortunately, stories like these are becoming all too common. For students of health care, the danger is increased due to the vulnerability of hospitals and health care workers. According to Keith Kelly, Director of Security at Ingham Regional Medical Center in Lansing, Michigan, violence in the workplace is on the rise. Most vulnerable are those who work alone, those who work with money and valuables (including drugs), healthcare workers, and women.

While tips such as locking your personal belongings in your car or locker while at class and/or work, never walking alone and staying off your cell phone while walking so you are not distracted, may keep you safe in a personal safety situation, would you know what to do if your school or place of employment fell victim to an attack like those seen last week in Illinois or last April at Virginia Tech?

[Read more →]

Did you know there is a school, started in 1972, that offers one of the best educations in the world? It is the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine and Graduate School of Nursing; which is part of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

It serves all four branches of the military and Public Health Service. Uniformed students receive their usual pay and benefits. Medical students have a seven year obligation to serve after graduation. Only military nurses are accepted in the post-graduate nursing programs for Master’s degree or PhD completion. Some civilians who are employed by the federal government may be eligible for admission and receive their full salary while attending.

[Read more →]

The rigors of medical school take an immense toll on prospective physicians. They are put at risk financially, physically and emotionally for the impending pay off of a career in medicine. While there are many factors that will determine the success of the gamble medical school presents, resident placement is important. After the long years of school work have been completed a student’s choice of residency depends upon location, specialization and reputation of the University. Prospective residents may have little to say about where they are accepted, making the application and interview process to a particular residency significant. Knowing what to expect and what’s expected of you can help.

[Read more →]