Easy Ways to Go Green

Being sustainable starts at home!
Here are ways to be green around the house:

• Study in daylight whenever you can.
• If you bring a lamp to school, make sure to buy a compact CFL. They use 20% less energy than regular bulbs and last 10x longer.
• Be sure to communicate with your roommate as to who is bringing the fridge to share. There is really no need to have more than 1 fridge in a room. Also, instead of buying a new one, check out re-sale websites like eBay, Craig's List, or FreeCycle and re-use (It's one of the 3 R's!)
• Wash clothes in cold water. It gets them just as clean and uses much less energy.
• Use greener laundry detergent that are plant-based and free of phosphates, which can cause algae blooms.
• Did you know there is a backside to all of the paper you use? And that backside doesn't get used very often! When you need a scratch piece of paper or need to print something not important, be sure to use that backside!
• Is there a phantom in your room? Phantom power that is! When you leave for class, be sure to turn off the power strips in your room. There's no reason why your TV needs to pull power when you're in class.
• Remember that batteries and ink cartridges can be recycled.
• Use eco-friendly cleaning products like Method, Seventh Generation, or Clorox Greenworks.
• Be sure that your appliances are Energy-Star rated.

Information provided by Stanford Office of Sustainability

10-Minute ZUMBA!

Want a super FUN way to exercise? Try Zumba!

Experience the dance craze that's taking the fitness industry by storm! Zumba combines Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow dance moves to put the FUN back in your workout. Fast and slow rhythms are combined for an aerobic and toning workout that confers the benefits of interval training.

In this video a UC San Diego FitLife instructor demonstrates 3 different Zumba dances.

Interested in learning more or signing up for a Zumba class? Visit recreation.ucsd.edu

Environmental Wellness at UC San Diego

Entering their suites, the transfer students will receive a reusable recycling bag in which they can deposit plastic and glass bottles and jars, paper and newspaper, metal containers and cardboard to take to central recycling locations. Additionally, UC San Diego will continue to provide each incoming freshman with a large reusable water bottle which can be filled at free filtered water “hydration stations” located throughout the campus.

The transfer housing will have high performance windows which cut the UV and heat and allow natural free air-flow ventilation, and radiators heated by hot water. Granite counter tops are used in place of laminate for a long term gain, and steel stairs replace carpeting.

Units will be individually metered, with each student getting a personal bill for usage. “That way,” notes Cunningham, “awareness of the cost of energy for activities such as all-night gaming, and use of plasma TV, stereo and play stations, is built in.”

Student groups have supported the availability of cage-free eggs, fair trade, and organic foods, a trend that reflects a larger national and international movement for an alternative food system, according to Jeff Haydu, professor of sociology at UC San Diego. “People increasingly believe that they can advance political or social justice goals through their choices as consumers rather than, or in addition to, more conventional political action,” Haydu said. “There is something very appealing about the idea that you can make a difference simply by buying this and not that. Some say, ‘change the world one bite at a time.’”

Housing, Dining and Hospitality Services will continue a system tested last year that removed all disposables (take-away plastics and Styrofoam) and replaced them with compostable plastics and reusable china and silverware. Students who want food-to-go can use permanent dishware and leave it at drop-off spots throughout the campus known as “Toby’s Spots.” Mays said last year’s trial test showed the change effectively helped students reduce waste.

All Housing, Dining and Hospitality restaurants and markets have offered organic, locally grown and cage-free options for some time, but the new initiative ensures that cage-free eggs will exclusively be sold in all of UC San Diego’s dining locations. In addition, the campus will use fair trade coffee, tea and sugar at all dining locations and markets.

Cage-free eggs and fair trade products promote environmental wellness,” said Becky McDivitt, a registered dietitian at UC San Diego. “Environmental wellness includes taking action to protect the world around us by, for example, allowing chickens to live in more humane conditions and supporting companies whose workers receive living wages and safe conditions.”

UC San Diego’s Housing, Dining and Hospitality division also will continue to offer a large variety of organic produce. In spring 2010, the El Mercado dining hall located on the Muir College campus will be transformed into an organic bistro.

In addition, dining locations will begin regularly featuring locally gown, organic farmer’s markets where students will have the opportunity to buy produce directly from local food businesses.

Added Mays,“At UC San Diego we know that sustainability doesn’t end at the doorstep. “It’s understanding that everything is connected and impacts each other.”

Important Tips Your First Year, Part 3

Here are some helpful tips to ease your transition to college...

• Learn proper portion size. To avoid eating too much of even the healthiest foods, keep track of how much you're eating. For most people, meat servings should be about the size of a deck of cards and other servings vary by the type of food.




• Vary your meals. When the cafeteria has your favorite foods daily it can be easy to return to those old favorites every day. Changing up your diet from day to day is an important part of good nutrition so take advantage of the variety of selections available to you.
  




• Eat breakfast. Start your day off right with a good meal when you get up. Whether you're rolling out of bed at noon or up at the crack of dawn for class, make sure you start your day with a balanced, healthy meal.
  




• Keep healthy snacks around. It's easy to eat healthy if you keep the Cheetos at bay and stock your dorm room with fruits and other healthy snacks. You'll be more likely to reach for these than junk food if you keep them nearby or in your backpack.
  




• Head to the gym. Most schools provide students with gym facilities they can take advantage of for free. Head to the gym between classes or when you get up in the morning to squeeze in a workout.

Important Tips for Your First Year, Part 2

Here are some great tips to ease your transition into college...

Don't let stress get the best of you. Stress can be a major factor in many students' depression. If you're feeling stressed out make sure to take a break and set aside time to relax.

Realize you don't have to please everyone. There is no way that you can make everyone happy all the time. Concentrate on making yourself happy first and you'll cut out lots of stress and hassle from your life.

Know the signs of depression. It can be hard to differentiate a simple slump from serious depression so learn the signs of depression not only for your own benefit but for the benefit of your friends as well.

Volunteer. Sometimes volunteering can give you a sense of satisfaction you can't get from work or class work, so get out there and help others in your community.

Get involved on campus. Joining clubs and social groups on campus can help you to meet new friends and keep you from feeling lonely or isolated.

Important Tips for Your First Year

Here are important tips for easing into your transition to college.

• Build new friendships. A big part of the college experience is meeting new people and forming new friendships so get out there and meet new people whenever possible.

• Expect things to change. Things will change both at home and in your school life, so expect things to change over time. You will grow and so will the people around you.
  
  


• Understand that it may take time to fit in. Most people don't make best friends on the first day of college. It takes time to build friendships, so don't get discouraged if you don't fit in right away.
  
  


• Don't be afraid to ask for help. Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help with their depression but this is unnecessary as it's a common and treatable problem that you don't have to deal with alone. Tap into campus resources to find help or tell a friend how you're feeling.
  


• Keep in touch with family and friends. You can help beat homesickness and loneliness by keeping in touch with friends and family members.
  
  
  

Slow Your Eating Pace!

Healthy Eating
Slow your pace; it’s not a race!

In our fast-paced society we tend to rush through everything, including our meals and snacks.

Eating too quickly can have several health consequences such as weight gain, heartburn or indigestion. When we rush, we often forget to savor the foods or appreciate their rich flavors and sensations.

How can you eat more slowly?

• Put your fork down between bites
  



• Take breaks to talk with your dining companions
  



• Remind yourself to chew sufficiently before swallowing and relax
  



• Take smaller bites; there is no need to “shovel it in”
  



• Eat mindfully – pay attention to flavors, textures and sensations as you enjoy your meal
  



• Allow adequate time to enjoy your meals

Information provided by HDH Registered Dietitian Becky McDivitt. Feel free to contact Becky with nutrition questions at rmcdivitt@ucsd.edu or visit her page at the HDH website.

New Guidelines for Physical Activity

The US Department of Health and Human Services has released new guidelines for physical activity.

Aerobic activities: Make your heart beat faster and can make your heart, lungs, and blood vessels stronger and more fit. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of aerobic activity a week.

Strengthening: Make your muscles do more work than usual. Try this 2 times a week.

How many times a week should I be physically active?
It is best to spread out your exercise over 3 or more days.

How do I build up more physical activity?
Do a little more each time. Then, you can trade activities at a moderate level for vigorous ones that take more effort. Remember, some physical activity is better than none, so even if you can't run a mile at first, building up to that mile is good exercise.

How can I tell if it's a moderate activity?
If you are able to talk while doing it, but not sing.

• Dancing
  




• Gardening
  




• Tennis
  




• Walking briskly

How can I tell if it's a vigorous activity?
If you can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath.

• Biking
  




• Hiking
  




• Martial Arts
  




• Running
  




• Swimming
  




• Jumping Rope

Information courtesy of US Dept. of Health and Human Services

UC San Diego is Across the Country!

LiveWell UC San Diego hosted the 1st Annual Nap-In last year.


Dr. Sara Mednick, a nap researcher for UC San Diego and the VA Hospital, and Acting Director of the Wellness Center Dr. Jerry Phelps were interviwed in response to this successful event on the benefits of napping and how UC San Diego is a nap-friendly campus.

Check out the video below and see how napping is good for you!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/health&id=6835140

Top Green Dorm Room Tips, Part 2

Top Green Dorm Room Tips, Part 2
Courtesy of planetgreen.com

Cook it right
You may scoff at the microwave/toaster oven combo, but by combining these two cooking appliances with a cheap rice cooker, you've got nearly the perfect eco-kitchen. All three of these appliances boast high energy efficiencies relative to their big-kitchen counterparts (see the Getting Techie section). Take a look at the end of this article for some great cookbooks using just these mini-cooker powerhouses.


Paper please
Sure, it's not the sexiest of materials, but there are plenty of paper options for dorm decor that can be recycled when you out-grow them in a few years. Check out paper wall tiles from MioCulture, paper window treatments from Redi Shade, or make your own paper lampshades.


See the light
Halogen torchiere lamps are all the rage right now. They're super cheap, put out tons of light, and fit in a corner with ease. Unfortunately, some of them use hundreds of watts of electricity, and they've been known to cause fires. Stick with compact fluorescent light bulbs. The newer ones put out great light, use just a trickle of electricity, and last almost forever. This is one thing worth buying again every time you move; by leaving them for your next tenant, you'll be spreading the green love with every new apartment.


Don't let the sheets hit the fan
Linens for your new room will make up the bulk of the rest of your buying. When you look for sheets, curtains, or towels, go for organic cotton, if possible. It's still the same cottony goodness, but you'll rest easy knowing it's grown without nasty pesticides.


Re-used doesn't have to mean re-pulsive
Just because you got used stuff, doesn’t mean it has to be old and moldy. This is college. You're supposed to be wild and experimental. So go crazy. Why not try sewing some cushion covers, or pillows for that old couch. Or invite some of your new friends over for a painting party on that old dresser and table. Unleash your inner crafter with great magazines like Make, Craft, or Readymade.

Top Outdoor Napping Spots at UC San Diego

Can't get enough of the outdoors?
Neither can we!

We've found the best locations to nap and be one with nature at UC San Diego.
Check out our video on YouTube.

Locations include:

• Marshall Administration Tree




• Student Services Center Curvy Benches
  
  

All locations scored on:

• comfortability




• "cool factor"




• quietness




• location
  
  
  

Self-Psychology 101

Reina Juarez, PhD
Self-Psychology 101

When I learned about Self-Psychology, the doors to know myself, people, and the world opened up with a bright perspective. This way of conceptualizing human beings and the world in which we evolve has given me a heart within psychology with the strength of empathy, which I use daily in my personal life and my work with students, colleagues, and the university community.

For instance, when we use empathy we see the world from the “other person’s perspective,” facilitating understanding and serving as antidote to many self-defeating emotions such as anger, envy, jealousy, and hate. Empathy can also be used toward one’s self to uproot self-depreciation, self-alienation, and self-hate.

Self Psychology talks about our need for “self objects” to get to know ourselves and self-regulate. In the beginning, self-objects are our caregivers and that stuffed-animal, food, toy, or blanket that gave us comfort. As we grow up, all of us continue to need self-objects and their nature changes as we change. Some are internalized such as the ability to love one’s self, while others continue to exert their influence from the outside. Music, art, partners, friends, books, mentors, nature, meditation … all of them can serve as self-objects that help us self-sooth and feel connected with positive forces in our lives.

I support the life-long quest of surrounding ourselves with self-empowering self-objects to be truly alive, wise, compassionate, loving, generative, creative, generous, joyful, healthy, and full of vitality!!!! There is no need to put up with toxic people and environments.

As we become self-efficient we can select our self-objects, including the people we want close to us, the places where we want to live and work, and give meaning, purpose, and plenitude to our lives. There is so much more to Self-Psychology. I hope we can talk more about it soon.

Easy Exercises to Do: Part 3

If you are short on time, set up a range of circuit training exercises in your dorm/home.
Be sure to warm-up for 3-5 minutes by fast pace walking, or jogging in place before you attempt these exercises.
Depending on your fitness level, you can rest 15 seconds between exercises, or not rest at all.
After you are done, make sure to cool down and stretch.
Exercises provided by the Health Education Department at UC San Diego Student Health Service.


Push-ups:
• There are many ways to do pushups;
depending on your strength
level, you can choose wall, knee, or
regular push-ups
• With all positions, be sure to
contract your abdominal muscles
• Do not lock elbows when
straightening arms
• Do this for 30 seconds

Knee to elbow:
• Seated in a stationary chair with fingertips
behind your head, bring your right knee up
with your lower abdominals
• Simultaneously contract your left oblique
and bring your left elbow towards your
right knee. Make sure your fingertips do
not pull on your neck
• Pause when your knee & elbow touch
• Bring back to starting position and do the
same with the opposite side
• Do this for 30 seconds


Plank:
• Get on your hands and knees on
the floor with elbows resting on
floor next to chest
• Extend one leg at a time
• Contract your abdominals and
keep your body in a straight line
from head to toes
• Hold for 30 seconds- remember
to breathe!

Bicep curls:
• Using 1 liter water bottles,
stand without locking your
knees
• Bring water bottles
towards chest
• To burn extra calories,
balance with one leg while
you do this exercise
• Repeat for 30 seconds

Jog in place:
• Do this for 30 seconds

Easy Exercises to do: Part 2

If you are short on time, set up a range of circuit training exercises in your dorm/home.

Be sure to warm-up for 3-5 minutes by fast pace walking, or jogging in place before you attempt these exercises.

Depending on your fitness level, you can rest 15 seconds between exercises, or not rest at all. After you are done, make sure to cool down and stretch.



Overhead press:
• Sit with your back fully
supported by a stationary chair
• Use 1 liter water bottles for
weights
• Bring both arms in a 90 degree
position so that your elbows are
at shoulder height
• Extend arms toward the ceiling
(make sure not to lock elbows)
and hold for a count of 2 seconds
• Repeat for 30 seconds

Reverse lunge:
• Stand a few inches behind a stationary chair
• Place fingertips on back of chair and take a step back
• Be sure you contract your abdominals while you
slowly lower your torso
• *Do not let your knee pass your toes for the front leg
and the knee for the back leg should not touch the
ground
• Use your front leg to push yourself back to starting
position, and switch legs
• Do this for 30 seconds

Side Jumps:
• Place a towel or a piece of
tape on the floor
• Stand next to the towel
and then jump over the
towel doing side to side
jumps
• Do this for 30 seconds

Tricep extension:
• Using a stationary chair for
balance, place one hand lightly
on the side of the chair
• Hold a 1 liter water bottle, place
elbow close to your rib cage
• While holding that position,
straighten your arm and hold for
a count of 2 seconds
• Return to starting position and
repeat for the next 15 seconds;
then switch to opposite arm and
do the same movements for
another 15 seconds

Squats:
• Stand a few inches in front of a stationary chair with
feet shoulder-width apart
• You can put your arms out in front of you for
balance
• Contract your abdominals and keep them tight as
you slowly squat towards the chair
• Make sure your knees DO NOT pass your toes
• Hold for 3 seconds and stand up
• Repeat for the next 30 seconds

Easy Exercises to do in Your Dorm Room

Exercises complied by Health Education Department of UC San Diego Student Health Service.

If you are short on time, set up a range of circuit training exercises in your dorm/home.
Be sure to warm-up for 3-5 minutes by fast pace walking, or jogging in place before you attempt these exercises.
Depending on your fitness level, you can rest 15 seconds between exercises, or not rest at all. After you are done, make sure to cool down and stretch.

Lateral and Front Raise:
• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and grasp water bottles
with an overhand grip
• Next, fully extend right arm while raising it forward until
arm is parallel with ground. While doing this, fully extend
left arm and raise sideways until parallel with the ground
• Slowly return to starting position
• Switch and raise left arm forward and right arm sideways
• Do this for 30 seconds


High Knee March:
• Bring your knee towards your chest as high as possible
and simultaneously swing the opposite arm
• Do the same thing with the opposite leg and arm
• Keep a fast pace for 30 seconds


Jumping Jacks:
• Stand with feet together and arms at sides
• Jump with feet apart while simultaneously
bringing arms over your head making sure
your hands cross each other
• Return with feet together and arms at sides
• Do this for 30 seconds