January 2015 Health Bulletins

	Ask the Doc Dr. Davis Smith is director of health services at Westminster School, Simsbury, Connecticut

“What kind of medical services are offered at the student health center? Can I get a physical there? Are they able to give prescriptions?”
— Anna W., University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

You are wise to learn more about what your student health center offers and how best to access these services before you need them. Services at student health centers vary, reflecting the size and resources of the school and the surrounding community. For precise information, I recommend you check the school website. Better yet, walk over and introduce yourself and let them describe the range of services they offer.

Typical services
Many college health centers offer a blend of these:

• Acute care services (active, short-term treatment for illness or injury)
• Preventive health services
• Counseling and psychological services
• Routine physicals
• Prescriptions for diagnoses made there (e.g., penicillin for strep or Naprosyn for ankle sprains). They may also be able to help you transfer or renew prescriptions from home.

Illness and injury
Typical complaints include sore throat, sinus pain/pressure, ear pain, problem piercings, ingrown toenails, urinary tract infections, yeast infection symptoms, rashes, bites, acne, cough, dizziness, fatigue, poor exercise performance, stomach pains, diarrhea, ankle sprains, other bone/joint injuries… Pretty much anything for which you would seek treatment at a primary care provider’s office or walk-in health center.

Preventive health
Typical issues include sexual health counseling and testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs); birth control; and vaccines, including for travel.

Psychological evaluation and treatment
Typical issues include homesickness, relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, family crises, substance use, sleep disorders, eating disorders, and the management of ADHD.

Support and referrals
Many student health centers offer continuing care for ongoing health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and allergies. They also refer students to local medical resources, including specialists.

Sports medicine
Some schools have sports medicine services available on or near campus.

Accommodations
Some school health centers are involved in evaluating and supporting students with physical and/or academic accommodations on campus. 

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

“How does a completely out-of-shape person begin to exercise regularly?”
— Kylie L.*, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville
* Name changed for privacy

This is a common question. Many people who consider themselves out of shape have a difficult time getting started with exercise and sticking to it. The first step is the hardest, whether that’s going to the gym or meeting with a personal trainer. From there, making a regular commitment becomes another challenge.

Your new workout program
Some people follow workout programs, while others exercise impromptu (without planning). I suggest following a credible, beginner-level workout program that includes both aerobic exercise and full-body resistance training.

From machines to free weights
If possible, start by using machines (elliptical, chest press, etc.) and performing body-weight exercises the first few weeks. Later, progress to free weights (dumbbells, barbell, etc.), which can require more experience, depending on the exercise. For an effective and efficient workout in the gym, don’t underestimate the importance of planning your routine.

Tell your friends
Make sure to share this new journey with your friends and family. Having their support will motivate you. Someone might even become your exercise partner, which is great for accountability and encouragement. Remember, though, that time in the gym isn’t social hour. You can save conversations for nice walks in the park!

Invest in yourself
Lastly, treat exercise as an investment in yourself. Buying gym clothes, sneakers, and possibly putting money toward personal training services, yoga classes, or other fitness costs can help you stay committed. Trading time in front of the TV or elsewhere for exercise is an investment as well. Each workout is one more step on the path to a stronger, healthier you.

	Ask the Relationship Educator Joleen M. Nevers, MAEd., CHES, AASECT, is a certified sexuality educator and the health education coordinator at the University of Connecticut.

“My boyfriend and I laugh a lot and have so many special moments. I used to feel like he is the right person for me. But last week he confessed to me that he is bisexual, and after that I feel totally confused. He said a lot of people misinterpret being bisexual as being promiscuous. What’s going to happen if he needs or wants to have sex with another male?”
— Natasha T.,* Monterey Peninsula College, California
* Name changed for privacy

I can appreciate that this might have felt shocking and possibly jarring to hear, and I hope I can help clarify things.

Myths about bisexuality
As your boyfriend stated, there are a lot of misunderstandings around bisexuality. For example:

• It’s not true that bisexuality means being promiscuous or more likely to cheat.
• It’s not true that bisexual people are attracted to everyone.
• It’s not true that bisexual people are confused.

Sexual identity doesn’t cause cheating
A bisexual partner who is in a committed relationship is not necessarily interested in anyone else at the same time—no more so than a heterosexual, gay, or lesbian partner might be.

You’re concerned about competing with another male for your boyfriend’s attention or affection. Again, compare your relationship to a heterosexual, gay, or lesbian one. Your bisexual boyfriend is no more likely to want to have sex with a man than a heterosexual boyfriend would be to want to have sex with another woman. (Of course, this can happen. But sexual identity doesn’t cause cheating.)

Talk it out
Since your boyfriend was comfortable enough to disclose this to you, it might be helpful to discuss your concerns with him. This would give you both the opportunity to discuss expectations for your relationship and for you to learn more about what being bisexual means to him.

For more information about bisexuality, check out these resources:

• Great website: American Institute of Bisexuality and the Bisexual Foundation
• Bisexuality facts: ReachOut
• Bisexuality 101: Unitarian Universalism Association
• Sexuality FAQs: GLBT National Help Center

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

“How can I better structure my essay? How do essay types differ?”
— Alison H.*, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
* Name changed for privacy

College professors love essays, don’t they? They seem to assign them for every class, and each professor has different expectations regarding length, purpose, format, and sources. They even differ on how they grade them. Wouldn’t it be great if professors would all get on the same page (pun intended)?

The four main types of academic essays (this list is not exhaustive):

• Summary: If your professor asks you to restate, retell, or put into your own words someone else’s information, then you are most likely providing a summary. These are rare in essay-land, but they can occur in any course in which your professor wants to see if you have understood the major points of an assigned reading, lecture, or other content.
• Analysis: This is a common type of essay. An analysis means a “breaking apart of a whole to examine the parts.” Any time you are asked to examine parts of a whole—lines of a poem, for example, or methods of aerobic exercise—you are writing an analysis.
• Evaluation: Some of your courses may ask you to assess or critique your study subject. If you were evaluating Harry Truman as a president, you would describe his strengths and weaknesses as a leader.
• Synthesis: Any time you use two more sources in an essay, you have written a synthesis. You may use summary, analysis, and evaluation as part of your synthesis as well, and this type of essay usually requires the inclusion of multiple sources (read: research). Many classes, especially upper-level courses, require this type of essay.

How to structure an essay
Your structure depends on the type of essay it is. Nevertheless, a common structure looks like this:

• Introduction: This announces the topic of the essay and ends with a thesis statement that tells your reader what you are going to be discussing (or arguing) in the next paragraphs.
• Body paragraphs: These provide the reader with an understanding of each main point you are making and keep the reader on one point per paragraph.
• Conclusion: This wraps up your major points and provides the reader with an ending, a thought to take with them.

Thank goodness you didn’t ask about how professors grade essays. That is still a mystery to me.

The hazards of mixing with Molly

By Brandy Reeves

The drug “Molly” has been around for years. Maybe not in the same pure form, though. These days, Molly is usually mixed with other substances, and that’s what ramps up the risk.

Who or what is Molly?
Molly (short for molecular) is a psycho-stimulant. It’s a powder or capsule form of MDMA, the same chemical that’s in Ecstasy. Molly increases activity in three of the brain’s neurotransmitters—serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine—triggering heightened emotional, sexual, and trusting feelings, and sensory distortions.

When Molly gets miserable
After that surge of feel-good chemicals, the brain can run into problems. For users, this can mean confusion, depression, sleep difficulties, drug cravings, and anxiety. These other side effects are not so cute on the dance floor:

• Involuntary teeth clenching
• Nausea
• Blurred vision
• Increased heart rate
• Chills or sweating

Molly mixes with the wrong sort
It’s rare to find pure Molly these days. It tends to be mixed with other substances, including methamphetamine, caffeine, heroin, ketamine (the anesthetic), or cocaine. Combining these can increase the risk of side effects, and could lead to other problems, such as overdose.

For more on Molly

What is plagiarism, and who did I copy this from?

By Brandy Reeves

Ever read something and thought, “That’s brilliant! I’ll use that in my paper!” No harm, no foul, right? Wrong. Copy someone else’s work, and you’ve broken a major rule in writing—and it could earn you an F on that paper (or worse, expulsion from school).

What exactly is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas without citing your source. It can also mean using someone else’s words or ideas as if they were your own. Even if you didn’t intend to plagiarize, it’s still a big deal and could have major consequences. (Check with your school on the rules about plagiarism.)

Is this plagiarism?
It’s probably plagiarism if:

• You took, paid for, or copied someone else’s paper/work.
• You paid someone to write your paper for you
• You used sections of someone else’s work. without quoting or citing it as a reference (this includes information from the internet).

It isn’t always so cut-and-dry. Plagiarism can also include building on someone else’s ideas, or not paraphrasing appropriately—in other words, using too many words or phrases that are close to those in the original without citing the source.

How to avoid being a plagiarist

• Cite your sources.
• Learn how to paraphrase: Say in your own words what someone else has said. Changing a few words in the sentence does not make it your own. And even if you have paraphrased, you must still cite the source.
• If your school offers it, use the writing center. The trained staff can help you cite your sources correctly.
• Use reliable sources online for help with citing papers (try the Purdue Online Writing Lab), as well as checking your paper for plagiarism.

It's peanut butter—jelly time!

Or maybe just Peanut Butter Day: January 24. Peanut butter isn’t just the food that gets stuck to the roof of your mouth. The peanut is packed with nutrients, it’s the #1 snack nut in the US, and it has been to space. (Astronaut Alan Shepard took a peanut with him to the moon.)

• Looking for a late-night study snack? Peanut butter is packed with protein, filling you up and keeping you full longer. That will keep you from reaching for the chips.
• PB has the good fat—monounsaturated, which is heart-healthy. These mono fats can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
• It tastes great and comes with delicious memories of elementary school.

Craving peanut butter? Look up some easy recipes. Or break out the old-school PB recipes. Ants on a log, anyone?