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Endorphins

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011

When I started college, I had the same fears as everybody else: will I be able to handle my class work? Will my roommate and I get along? And most importantly, will I make friends?! But after settling into my routine d finding a group of people I love to hang out with, one college horror still haunted me: the Freshmen Fifteen.

Although my high school years had been filled with volleyball and other recreational sports, in college I suddenly stopped exercising. I didn’t even have the long walks to school like I had in high school, and having an unlimited meal plan definitely didn’t help. In October I finally got my act together and headed to the gym.

I had all the regular reasons for going—stay fit, lead a healthy lifestyle, stress reduction, etc. But after my first day I discovered an entirely new reason for going to the gym: endorphins. Cardio activity gave such a boost to my mood it was incredible. Leaving the gym I couldn’t help but smile at how great everything was—the sky, the people around me, the feeling of doing something great for my body. Although I had started going to the gym just because it was healthy, it turned into something much more personal, a form of medication in a sense. It’d lift my spirits when the long winter days seemed to drag on, or put a smile back on my face when classes or social drama tried to wipe it off.

Endorphins are a neurotransmitter released during exercise (as well as during times of excitement, pain, danger, the consumption of spicy food, love, and more) and create a feeling of happiness. I called it ‘self-medication’ before because it’s like taking an instant anti-depressant, yet naturally—and legally.

I know you’ve heard all the reasons for why you should exercise more before: it reduces health risks, improves brain functions, etc. But try exercising for endorphins instead; it might be more motivating than attempting to avoid that heart attack when you’re 60. Your school is a great place to start, colleges often have free gyms available, and free or cheap classes that you can take if you want something more than a treadmill. Public gyms around New York also have great deals for the summer and/or for students, so don’t be afraid to try those out. Synergy Fitness Clubs have a student promotion of $39 monthly; Crunch has a summer student special for $199 for the entire summer; New York Sports Club has an all-year student discount for $20 a month. Other gyms in the New York area include Equinox, David Barton, Bally Total Fitness, Lucille Roberts, and more. Campus Clipper also offers more discounts to a wide variety of fitness locations, so check them out.

/elizabeth Kaleko

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Veganism and Family

Monday, June 20th, 2011

You wish they'd support you in everything, but that doesn't always happen.

When I first told my parents I had turned vegan, they were surprisingly supportive. I was expecting them to yell, to tell me how bad it was for my health, and pretty much refuse to accommodate my new dietary restrictions whenever I visited. What I didn’t expect was how quickly their surprise faded as they acquiesced to my silly choices. They probably thought it was a fad, like the time I stopped eating seafood for a while because I thought it was wrong to take from our Mother Ocean. I was a weird kid.

I didn’t visit my parents often, but when I did, they seemed to be very considerate when preparing family dinners, always making sure that my share was separate. My mom would always dole out some sautéed vegetables on my plate before adding pork to the rest of the veggies. Then, one day when I was at home alone with my dad, he offered me some traditional soup made from seaweed, which isn’t as gross as it sounds for a Korean like me. As I ate, wholly innocently and suspecting nothing, I noticed it tasted kind of fishy.

“Dad,” I said, “is this a seafood broth or something?”

“What? Of course not,” he replied.

I still thought it tasted odd, but I believed him. That is, until I dipped my spoon in and pulled out the innards of a clam.

“DAD!”

“What? What?”

He said something ridiculous, like it must have fallen in by accident, but I knew he had simply taken some seafood soup they had made, picked all the clams out, and had just missed one. Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been doing sneaky things like that the whole time when my mom wasn’t looking.

When it came time for the New Year’s Day family gathering, we all went to my grandmother’s house for the traditional rice cake soup on the first day of the new year. When I sat at the table, I noticed that my bowl’s contents looked pretty milky, like everyone else’s did, like it had been cooked with bone marrow. I asked my mom about it, and my dad frustratedly interjected.

“Oh my god, just eat it!”

I felt my family’s patience waning. What they thought was a phase had become a new lifestyle, and they were finally coming to terms with accommodating me for the rest of their lives. They were not happy about it.

Despite the requisite compassion for living creatures, vegans have to develop a bit of a thick skin. Even if we never try to convince others to walk our path, people will take it upon themselves to attack beliefs that are different from theirs. It’s especially hurtful when such criticism comes from family, who we expect to support us. But like every other choice I made that my family initially thought was irrational, they eventually came around and accepted that I make my own decisions. My parents may never believe that veganism is sane or healthy like I want them to, but they still love me for who I am.

Even though… I still check the labels on anything my dad gives me.

Try dispelling some of their skepticism with Vegan Treats. It’s guaranteed to work better than a lecture. Scroll down for a dual coupon to Atlas Café, where all the desserts are deceptively vegan, and save the 20% Teany Café coupon for a cute and healthy teatime with your friends.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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Body and Health

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Image credit: tree.com

Oddly enough, it was my piano teacher that got me to start taking care of my body more.  I had never really been a particularly athletic kid.  I liked hiking and biking just fine, but otherwise I was perfectly happy on the sofa with a good book.  As a result, I hardly ever hurt myself, and I’ve still never broken a bone.  And since my mother generally kept healthy foods in the house, I had never had to really pay attention too much attention to what I was eating.  I didn’t think of it at the time, but in this way I’d been taking my health for granted.

When I got to college, I now needed to manage these things on my own.  There are a lot of stories about Freshman Fifteen, the weight freshmen supposedly gain when left to their own devices over meals and snacks.  Although I didn’t end up gaining that much, it’s certainly true that I was eating in an unhealthier manner than I had been eating at home.  The dining hall at my school always has fries available, which was temptingly problematic at times. Since I wasn’t much of an athlete, I also never bothered to check out the gym.

On top of all this was the strain placed on the body from stress. Although the transition in workload from high school to college is manageable, it can definitely be stressful at times. Some of the books for certain classes can be enormous, and heavy to carry around campus.  There were definitely several late nights at the library where I found myself carting around my laptop and a backpack full of books, and that can add up to a lot of strain!

It was during a lesson mid-semester that my piano teacher mentioned how my arms and shoulders would sometimes tense up as I played.  Playing an instrument wouldn’t initially seem like much of a physically strenuous task, but the piano uses many different parts of your body, from your wrists and fingers all through your arms and shoulders, and of course your foot for the pedals.  Certain pieces have difficult fingerings, require repetitive motions or are simply long and need stamina to play.  These, combined with all the other factors, were affecting my playing. My piano teacher encouraged me to take care of my body more, so I could improve.

It got me to start thinking about how I treated my body on a daily basis, which was basically by not paying it much attention.  I took my health entirely for granted, and I began thinking that if I kept neglecting it, sooner or later things wouldn’t be looking so good. After all, *body is important yay.

I started going for walks more, and these walks were both a nice source of exercise as well as good study breaks.  They also helped me keep from sitting hunched over my laptop in the library for too long.  To reduce stress I tried to start papers early—I didn’t always succeed, far from it, but I found that even thinking about a paper in advance, or starting the overview research helped me to clarify my ideas before I actually sat down to write.  As for food, I continued to have salads with dinner, eased up on the fries, and aimed to drink iced tea rather than soda.

Having long been on the lazy side, I didn’t immediately change my lifestyle, and I don’t think it’s quite possible to.  Even now, I’m not as healthy as I’d like to be.  I still have an absurd weakness for sweets and spend too much time on the internet.  I did, however, realize how important it really is to take care of your body.  At the very least, I’ve been taking steps towards becoming healthier—and even small steps are progress.

Anais DiCroce

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Avoiding Conflict at a Group Meal

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Nothing is more obnoxious at dinner than getting attacked for your food choices.

No matter how proud you are about your healthy eating choices, there are always a few people with whom, even if they claim to be understanding and open-minded, you would just rather not get into a heated debate. Usually, they are the type to easily start said heated debates without realizing they raised their voices, and before you know it, you wish you hadn’t even brought up the topic of climate change/political efficacy/favorite color at all.

Though you may not be able to avoid every potential “friendly intellectual discussion” they want to have, there are a few ways to at least circumvent frustrating situations while eating out with friends. First, when collectively deciding where to go for dinner, it’s best not to throw out suggestions that are obviously specialty restaurants. Even if the name gives no hint, once the group arrives there and sees that the menu has absolutely no meat on it, your friends could feel tricked. Since you would like others to accommodate your food choices, try to think of their preferences too. If you are trying to avoid gluten, suggest a restaurant that you know has gluten-free options. If you are a vegan, throw out names of places that you know will have food you can eat but also has meat and vegetarian dishes.

Of course, after going through all of the motions of democracy, you might end up at a restaurant you have never been to and didn’t have time to research their menu. If there’s one thing that might set off your opinionated friends into an unsolicited rant, it’s watching you take fifteen minutes to order because you’re asking your server for comprehensive lists of ingredients. But you’ve been to restaurants before, and the menus for certain ethnic cuisines are practically the same citywide. Once you’ve researched one restaurant and found which dishes are safe, you can assume to a degree for other places with similar styles. A little research into pasta types will let you know which kinds have eggs, and looking up traditional recipes for Japanese foods will let you know where soy can be hiding. This can cut down on the number of questions to ask the server and avoid placing a focus on you. Great places to try for big groups are Indian restaurants with their diverse meat and vegetarian options and choices of rice or bread. Use a Campus Clipper coupon to get 15% off on a weekend when you bring 4 people or more at Cuisine of India!

Even if your friends are aware of your dietary choices, they may forget in their attempts to be generous and offer you a bite of their order. Rather than going into the reasons why you can’t share their meal, a simple “No thanks. I’m good.” will suffice. To avoid further insistence, either immediately return to your previous conversation and/or return their action by offering them some of your food. Keep the dialogue going so that it doesn’t linger too long on the table and its trappings.

When all else fails and someone decides s/he really wants to talk about why you don’t eat dairy in an opinionated and gregarious manner, let him/her go through the spiel. Chances are s/he just wants to voice opinions about it, and whether or not you respond matters less than getting the rant out of his/her system. Even if you aren’t in the mood to debate, other people might want to jump into the discussion, which will take the pressure off of you to be the sole interlocutor. If you are in a group setting, the rest of your party most likely wants the same thing you do: to hang out with friends while eating good food and having lively conversation with more laughs than speeches. If you’ve picked the right friends, they won’t let one person gang up on you or bring everyone else down.

-Avia Dell’Oste.

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Eating Out and Vegan: Incompatible?

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

image credit: animalsuffering.com

New York City: a going out paradise with lots of student discounts on food, entertainment, books and clothing. If you wish, you can try different cuisine every day. There is such a great variety of cultures here: Italian, Thai, Cuban, Dominican, Moroccan and what not. However, where do you go if you are strictly vegan?

Always being a passionate carnivore, I have never faced this problem. However, I suddenly decided to take on a challenge: Christian Orthodox religious fasting that I was always supposed to do, but never cared to limit my diet to vegan only. Eating is just one part of the fasting, but it seemed overwhelming to cut back on milk products especially, as I love them so much.

But the time came, and I felt like doing it for the first time in March of 2009. I enjoyed it a lot, as fasting made me feel healthy and energetic, and my favorite part was that I had to cook for myself all the time because I didn’t trust food from outside (who knows if it’s really vegan).

There came the problem: I had a hard time going out with my friends and my boyfriend. I have experience working in restaurants, and I didn’t want to be a pain in the neck for the waiters asking, “Is there cheese in my spaghetti?” Once my boyfriend persuaded me to eat at a small Chinese-Latin (what a combination) restaurant, and I ordered a plate that was specified on the menu as “rice, lettuce, tomato and fried plantains.” When I actually got my food, there were pieces of pork and shrimps in it (I never eat either of them even when I’m not fasting), and I felt bad. When I complained, the waiter replied that the dish comes with it, took it back and brought it within 2-3 minutes, which made me come to the conclusion that the kitchen staff merely took out the meat and send the plate to me (did they use gloves, at least?). I didn’t eat anything there but plain white rice that came with my boyfriend’s dish, and I never went out while fasting again.

The whole experience was embarrassing. There are a lot of products that I refuse to eat because I don’t like them, for instance, seafood and yellow cheeses (sounds crazy, right?), but I’m not used to being extremely picky while ordering a meal at a restaurant. There always happen to be a steak with mashed potatoes on the menu for me. I rarely ask for more. But with the fasting in mind, this choice is automatically excluded. I was at a loss about where to go and I felt terrible for the people who have to (due to allergies or something else) or choose to eat vegan all the time.

The most difficult thing was to get around my sweet tooth, as most pastries contain eggs and dairy. I would wander around my college cafeteria studying the labels and always finding “eggs” there. The good thing was that I learned how to make pancakes from just flour, yeast, water and vegetable oil. They were delicious, even though people who tried them said they were “too healthy.” The bad thing was I didn’t have time to make them often.

But as the fasting continued, I started hearing about different vegan places in the city, and I talked to a couple of people who gave me useful advices on where to find those products I could eat. I realized that it was so difficult because it was my first time and I had no clue about vegan culture in the city. Now I feel more confident about going out and I learned to like salads a lot more than during my first fasting session, and I found out that a lot of vegan places also offer student savings menus or give discounts to those in college.

There I was yesterday, my Easter fasting 2011 day one, sitting at Whole Foods cafeteria drinking a fresh squeezed orange juice and munching on vegan cookies (no eggs and no dairy, hurray!), feeling happy and wholesome. Therefore, if you are a vegan like me (whether temporarily or permanently), life in the city is a little bit more difficult for you (if do your research, though, it will become easier), but not impossible.

Ekaterina Lalo

For more about my experience with Christian Orthodox fasting, read http://hubpages.com/hub/Healthy-Body-Healthy-Mind

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Breakfast Is a Must

Monday, February 28th, 2011

image from dealbase.com

Even if you were studying all night before or couldn’t fall asleep pondering where to get more student discounts on food and clothing, you still have to wake up early enough to have breakfast. I know, it is so easy to make (or even buy) a cup of coffee and run off to college. But do you realize that having or skipping breakfast has a direct influence on your mood and the way your day will go?

Believe it or not, it does.

First of all, when you are hungry, you have no desire to learn or do anything. All you can think of is a loud purring of your stomach, which is so embarrassing in the silence of a class when the only voice heard is the professor’s one. “Where is that apple that I left in my refrigerator?” you think, reproachfully, “It may have been so useful right now.”

Secondly, while you are struggling to concentrate on what your professor is saying, your stomach acid is working hard on the walls of your stomach. I am sure you have heard that if you don’t eat, the acid that is meant to digest the food that is not there still does its job, and your stomach gets hurt. Why do it to yourself if even small things like a bowl of cereal or a cup of fruit helps to avoid it?

Third, food gives you energy. When you don’t eat, you usually feel powerless and what’s even worse, you bring your bad mood to people around you. You feel easily irritated, angry with others for no reason and probably, do something you will later regret. This, too, can be easily avoided if you eat before you leave home.

You may argue, of course, that you don’t feel hungry when you wake up. If this describes you, then you are, in most cases, guilty of snacking late at night, when your stomach is not prepared to digest food. When I learned that the food is broken down easier during the day than throughout the night, I made it a rule to eat no later than four hours before I go to sleep (it’s good to never eat after 8pm; however, if you study in the evenings and come home after that, then make sure that you don’t have dinner right before you head to bed). My problem is also that when I fill my stomach, I suddenly become active, and I often have a hard time falling asleep. Just by giving up late snacking, I managed to lose a couple of pounds, improved my sleep and became accustomed to waking up in the morning craving for breakfast.

Let’s say this was persuasive enough, and you are now convinced that your breakfast is a must. What should you eat? It all depends on how hungry you feel and whether or not you like to eat a lot in the mornings.

Note that the best strategy is to include a piece of fruit into your every meal, and breakfast is no exception. Your other options may be a light sandwich or a toast with butter, jelly or a slice of cheese, or a cup of oatmeal. I got so used to making quick oats that I hardly ever bother to cook hot oatmeal anymore, even though nothing is easier than that. All you have to do is to bring some water or milk mixed with water to boiling, and then stir oats into the boiling liquid. Make sure to stir thoroughly while cooking, and then cool off your culinary masterpiece, and enjoy it. It is much healthier to make your oatmeal from scratch rather than boil water for an instant one, but if you have little time and no other option, that will do as well.

By the way, quick oats are usually more expensive than those that you have to cook, so if you make it a habit to make your breakfast in the morning, this may add up to your student savings. Not only is it cheaper to buy a big box of farina (it’s a great breakfast meal as well, if you like the taste), it also saves you from buying a danish or a doughnut while at school, which are fattening and expensive on campus.

Another quick morning meal you can easily make is an egg platter. Two or three eggs your way with sausage, salami, or a beef frank is my usual choice. The greatest discovery for me was Hebrew National salami, as if you go to your local deli and ask them to slice it a little bit thicker, you can fry it on a pan with no oil, in its own fat. Brown it for two to three minutes and serve with eggs or on a toast.

As far as toasts are concerned, if you have a toaster, you can always brown your bread and eat it dry or with butter. If you don’t have the equipment, though, you can put some milk into a bowl (you can mix an egg into it as well), and then dip a slice of bread into it. After doing this, brown your bread on a pan, and it will be soft, fresh and tasty.

From my experience, pancakes usually take a long time, so I usually make them when I’m not in a hurry, as I am not a big fan of quick mix packages. I mix flour, two eggs, a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil and a half cup of milk adding some yeast to it. It is best to let it stand for an hour, and then start cooking. It is a time-consuming breakfast, though, and I seldom have time for it.

All in all, no matter what you prefer to have, you should always eat something in the morning before leaving. Just remember that breakfast is a must, as a good start defines the way your day will go. Therefore, begin your morning with something you and your stomach enjoy, and energize yourself for great deeds.

Ekaterina Lalo

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Reserve: Unforgettable Thai Experience

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

Walking into Reserve, on 3rd Ave between 28th and 29th, I felt all the chaos and exhaustion of my day melt into the warm, red walls. A low light hovered over each table, with wine bottles stacked in every which direction. Even the bottoms of bottles protruded from the walls around the bar in the back, somehow without cluttering the small restaurant, but tinting the ambiance with the theme: a Thai inspired wine bar. While Thai restaurants are known for spicy foods in cozy nooks, Reserve adds an unexpected twist to the Thai experience: wine. I’m sure you’ve been to a number of Thai restaurants and been remiss about the quality of beverages, well, partner Luck Watanasuparp felt the same way. Luck’s family owns a number of Thai restaurants throughout New York, including All Luck and Thai Select, but this is her own venture in the restaurant business, at which she is doing amazingly well and loving it. Luck wanted to pair the four flavors of Thai food: Spicy, sweet, sour and salty with fine wines that would enhance each other when combined. The restaurant serves over fifty different wines, all within affordable ranges with a few higher priced bottles tossed in.

Reserve has been open for less than a year now in the Gramercy neck of the proverbial woods. Tucked among hot clubs and loud joints with drunks bouncing and stumbling out the doors or shouting from in between the cracks in the walls, Reserve is an oasis. It’s small, quiet, and personal. This is the perfect place to bring a date, or close friends when you want to sit down with a little background music and a lot of great food.

If you’re looking for something exciting and loud, why not head to Reserve for dinner as a calm before the storm?

The service is four star, with the shock of street cart prices. Before glancing at the menu, I assumed that it would be a stressor on my limited funds, but was pleasantly delighted to find that it’s cheap. I don’t mean New York City cheap, which is irrelevant to the rest of the world, but Kansas cheap, Mississippi cheap. I once ate a large, amazing meal at the Ajax Diner in Oxford, Mississippi for eight dollars, and this brought me back to the economy of the south, inducing a school girl giggle at the prices. I’ve spent more money on dirt, have I made my point?        

I brought two close friends of mine with me for dinner, and we lived like kings. We started with a Losen Bockstanz Resiling, a sweet wine, and paired it with spicy beef, duck wraps, and crab cake tapas. Everything was tender and cooked to perfection. The duck wraps, rich, fatty duck wrapped with fresh veggies in a flour tortilla roll, sushi style, was paired with a thick, sweet sauce. The large crab cake, enough for the three of us, was surrounded by three elegant sauces. The spicy beef was mixed with equally spicy and salty sautéed veggies. We indulged in a mango salad, larb pizza (with chicken and melted Mozzarella) and a curry green pizza. We ate slowly, discussing the flavor combinations and our awe at the portions. For very little money, the three of us left full, but not overstuffed, and feeling like we ate a healthy meal that tickled our tastes. Our cheeks blushed from the sweet wine as we walked out in a euphoric daze.

If you’re feeling bogged down by the sometimes treacherous city, tired of the rain and cold, and never having enough money to go out, Reserve is the place to go. It will pick up your spirits without draining your bank account. Long Island or Jersey commuters can even walk from Penn Station on their way home from work or class. Keep Reserve on your list, because you simply can’t miss out on all it has to offer for the economically challenged taste buds that require more refinement.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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BE ANNOYINGLY HAPPY

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Happiness, to me, was always a shiny yellow ball that, when I reached a certain point in my life, would descend upon me in an ethereal manner and consume all my fears. Well, that’s so untrue I don’t know where to begin. In matters of love and romance, happiness cannot be achieved between two people, no matter the compatibility of interests, unless each individual is independently happy.

How then, can you be happy if you don’t have everything you want, or even need? The answer is annoyingly simple: it’s not a matter of having what you want, but wanting what you have. This does not eliminate ambition, or instill placency, it simply stifles the all consuming self pity that can hinder one’s ability to achieve. Shiny, happy people do well in life, but how do you become one of those people?

Power of Food: If you pour sugar into the gas tank of a car, it doesn’t run, it clogs up the work and creates a mechanic’s nightmare. Now, imagine your body as a car, you put the wrong things in and you’ll get little in return. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have fats or sweets, but if you’re feeling lethargic and run down, the first instinct is to grab for the comfort foods. The fuzzy end of the lollipop is where you’ll find yourself in this situation, because that cheeseburger or candy bar will only dig you deeper into exhaustion. Find things that are healthy, but taste good. I always feel better after I eat a salad, but I don’t stick to low fat dressing with plain lettuce. I spice it up with crumbled goat cheese, craisins, chopped walnuts, and a variety of other cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts, and maybe some croutons or parmesan. Add flavor to your healthy foods, at least you’re eating a salad. I love to warm up pineapple and bananas in a frying pan and sprinkle them with cinnamon. You have to enjoy what you do and eat, because what’s the fun of being skinny and energetic if you constantly starve yourself?

Physical Fun: What ever happened to just running because it was fun? When was the last time your friend chased you through a park and it wasn’t because you slept with his girlfriend or stole his iPod? It’s a struggle to go out there and exercise if you’re not hard wired for it, but once you get on a roll, you might like it. The key is to find something that gets to excited, something that holds your attention. I like to box and to row. I can’t afford to row, so wherever I’m living I find a place that offers boxing. I recommend a private trainer for the first couple of times, and most places will offer some kind of deal. I’m often surprised that I pay someone to make me work until I feel like passing out, but I feel great after and my energy level goes through the roof. I have friends who play Frisbee, join soccer teams, jog, do pole dancing and strip tease classes, take dance lessons, and they all rave about how much more motivation they have when they exercise, they just had to find something to maintain their interest. Even if it’s watching TV while you work out, whatever does it.

Self-Hypnosis: Alright, I know this sounds crazy, but you can actually talk yourself into being happier. A lot of us are naturally inclined to find the negativity in a situation before they look to the positive. Here’s a little trick that’ll get you smiling more: when you walk into work in the morning, before you do anything, write down three things you’re grateful for. After fifteen days, you’ll start to see a significant improvement in your demeanor because you’re training your mind to naturally try to find positive things in your environment. This also works when you’re fighting with your hubby, sit down, breathe, and tell him or her three things about them that you’re grateful for. Verbalizing makes it more tangible. I like to list three things I’m grateful for before I go to sleep at night, out loud, and it helps calm me into a state where I can more easily fall asleep, and it prepares me for the morning. Mind over matter, just try it.

Healthy people are happy people, and happy people make great partners. Try a few of these tips, and maybe sit yourself down and ask what it is you want in life. Even if you know you want to be in better shape, have better skin, a better job, a new pair of sneakers, etc, verbalizing it will make it easier to visualize and eventually obtain. Trust yourself.

Written by Ashley Teal, Campus Clipper Blogger

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Staying Healthy and Helping Others

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

 

My move from Wyoming to New York City last year was fraught with stress. During a brief stint with homelessness and unemployment, I fell ill. My illness began insidiously, with only fatigue and a sore throat. As time passed, I only grew worse. I was under a lot of stress at the time, trying to adjust to my new life in the City. I struggled through job interviews and searching for a place to move. Even after finding a job and an internship and a place to live, there was no time for me to rest and recuperate. How could I take off work if I’d just gotten hired? How could I sleep if my new roommates were always up?

I stumbled into several doctor’s offices at the time, hoping desperately for a cure. One pronounced that I had the flu and sent me home. Two declared that I had a sinus infection. They all agreed that my illness was exacerbated by stress, but didn’t offer any solutions. It wasn’t until I visited my fourth doctor that I found an answer. I was tested for Mononucleosis and came up positive.

I was hoping that since the doctors knew what I had, I could get cured, but this never happened. I remained chronically ill and exhausted. For months, all I did was drag myself to work and then back home.  The doctors told me I would recover from mono in a few weeks, but it was not until I took a break and went home three months later that I began to improve. My visit with my friends and family alleviated all the stress and depression I had experienced in the City. Finally, I began to feel healthy again. My illness and subsequent recovery made me realize three things.

IT TAKES OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP YOU FEEL WELL
One thing consistently aggravated me during my frequent trips to the doctor’s office last year. None of the doctors (except the kind woman who discovered I had mono) seemed to care that I was sick. They wanted me to pay my bill and get in and out of the office within 30 minutes so they could take the next patient. I believe that is the reason none of them was able to diagnose me. This made me realize how important it is to have someone with compassion beside you when you are ill. This is probably also the reason why I recovered when I went back home to see my friends and family.

But compassion is a two-way street.  If you see someone you care for (or even someone you don’t!) sick, try to help them. Maybe you’re not a doctor, but do what you can. If your roommate has the flu, don’t avoid them like the plague. Use your meal card to buy some them soup or juice. Assist them as they walk down to the campus clinic.  Even if you’re a big germaphobe, at least toss them a couple Advil! When they see that someone cares, they will feel better.

The Values section of our magazine, Student Maximu$, also provides great advice on how to care for others. Stay tuned for the next issue of Student Maximu$, which is coming out soon!

DON’T LET STRESS RULE YOUR LIFE (BECAUSE IT ALSO RULES YOUR HEALTH)
My first seven months in NYC were filled with stress, and this is the likely reason I felt ill that whole time. Stress, whether it be physical or mental, takes a toll on your body. Not to get too scientific about it, but stress releases a hormone called cortisal into your system. Cortisal weakens the immune system by attacking white blood cells. So if you feel yourself starting to get stressed, take it easy! This is easier said than done, especially for college students. But there are number of methods you can you use.

TRY SOME YOGA
Yoga, an ancient form of exercise developed in India nearly 5000 years ago, helps rejuvenate both your body and mind. After a session, you are guaranteed to feel more relaxed and stress-free (even if your muscles are a little sore!). You can practice Yoga from the comfort of your home, or hone your skills (and meet some new friends) by taking a class. BYM  Bikram Yoga offers over 50 classes at great locations in lower Manhattan. Take advantage of their student discount and enroll today.

ENJOY A SPA
A day at the spa is sure to leave you more relaxed. Let yourself be pampered as the world’s cares lift from your shoulders. And as a student, you can take advantage of the many great coupons the Campus Clipper offers! Beauty and Youth Spa, Elegant Spa, Orchid Garden Spa, and many others, are all currently offering coupons for students.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY
If you feel yourself starting to get sick, don’t follow my example. I continued to work despite having mono, and this severely inhibited my recovery. Take time to rest and get yourself to a doctor! As a student, you have health insurance, which ensures that you can get affordable care wherever you go. And these student discounts make it even more affordable. Now you can get the medicine you need to tackle the world again. Check out these coupons from Whitney Chemists, Block Drug Stores, and Biomed Drugs.

Hopefully, these tips (as well as the great discounts that come along with them) will ensure that you remain healthy in the coming year, so that you can continue to help those around you.

–Written by Megan Soyars, Campus Clipper blogger

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Put some Spice in Your Life

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

Written by Megan Soyars

I was raised in San Antonio, Texas, the tex-mex capital of the world. Down South, we like our food bursting with flavor. Salsas, jalapenos, and chile peppers garnish plates in many restaurants. I thought I knew spicy while I was spooning Pace salsa on to my chips con queso, but I had no idea how far the heat barometer could go until I tried Indian curry.

My first taste of Indian food was in college. A whole group of us headed out to Taj Palace for my roomie’s birthday one night. I first tried the naan (a type of flatbread), which was soft and delicious. Then I moved eagerly on to the curry chicken. Spooning some up with reckless abandon, I shoved a steaming spoonful in my mouth. I nearly spit it back up. It was good, don’t get me wrong. But it was hot. At least, for my unprepared taste buds. My friends, spotting my agonized expression, asked me what was wrong. They probably thought I needed the Heimlich maneuver or something. Thankfully, I wasn’t choking; I was only a wimp.

“It’s too spicy,” I mumbled as I blinked back tears. My friend reached over and grabbed a spoonful for himself.

“It’s not too hot,” he assured me after swallowing, a feat which I likened to walking over a bed of hot coals. “This is really good. So…are you gonna finish it?”

I ended up stocking up on naan that night, while my friend enjoyed the rest of my plate.

But whether you’re a mild taster like me, a spice daredevil like my friend, or somewhere in between, you can enjoy the flavorful plates at Curry Kitchen. Located at 40 W. 8th St., Curry Kitchen offers a variety of Indian foods, ranging from their fiery chicken curry, to their savory tandoori fish, to their warm, home-made naan. And at around $10 an entrée, this is an affordable way to get a taste of India. Curry Kitchen also frequently offers student discounts. So print out this 10% coupon and head down to Curry Kitchen to “spice” up your meal time.

Also, don’t forget to check out our website to get Curry Kitchen’s Student Loyalty Program Card, up this week! And if you’re an Indian food guru (no pun intended) check out our discounts for Indian Cafe and Indian Taj, also featured on our website.

-Megan, Trinity University

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Posted in Cheap Eats, Eating Healthy, onFood, onSavings | No Comments »

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