Indoor Tanning: Spray Tanning vs. Tanning Bed
October 26, 2009 by Alissa Fiset
Everyone loves that bronze color we get during summer vacation, but many of us go to great lengths to keep the golden-glow year-round. As the trend of indoor tanning has risen within the last few years, more experts have been coming out with conflicting opinions of the harms of hitting the tanning salon. Here is a comparison of the two different forms of indoor tanning:
Spray tanning: Spray tanning (also known as Mystic tanning) is the application of a colorless chemical called dihydroxyacetone (DHA) in the form of a mist or a spray. DHA interacts with the amino acids in dead skin cells to produce a brown color change. There is no evidence that DHA is toxic and it is not absorbed through the skin. However, you need to follow directions exactly when getting a spray tan: wear the hair net, put on the nail stickers and apply the tan-resistant lotion just as the tan technician tells you! If you don’t follow the rules, you’ll come out looking streaking and splotchy. It takes a few hours for the skin to darken, and the tan usually lasts for about a week.
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Tanning bed: Tanning in indoor beds carries many of the same risks as tanning outdoors in natural sunlight. A tanning bed contains a concentrated form of UV rays that could increase the risk of skin cancer. You also run the risk of damaging your eyes if you do not wear the proper eyewear. However, the tan you get in a tanning bed generally lasts longer and looks more natural.
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Protect yourself from the flu
September 19, 2009 by Alissa Fiset
image courtesy of google images
We all know the way to stay in shape is maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. But in order to eat right and hit the gym, it’s important to be in good health. This year’s flu is supposed to be worse than ever so avoid the cough and runny nose by getting your flu shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu shot is between 70 and 90 percent effective in warding off the flu in healthy recipients under age 65. Students who want to receive a flu shot can stop by any ASU campus and receive one by just showing their Sun Card. The shot is relatively painless-the quick prick is better than feeling crumby for a week! Many insurance plans will cover the price of the shot; if not, it’s only $12.
Have You Put On Your Milk Mustache Today?
July 30, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
Your body gets very dehydrated during a workout and almost everyone drinks either water or Gatorade afterward in order to replenish their system. What many people don’t know however, is that drinking chocolate milk after a workout is as good - if not better - than drinking Gatorade after a workout! But how can this be? Chocolate milk is a sweet drink, with more sugar in it than anything else…
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Well, the sugar in the chocolate milk is absolutely perfect for restoring the amount of glycogen that your body loses during a strenuous workout. Your muscles store a large amount of glucose that is important for your body to function properly. When you have an intense endurance exercise, the amount of glucose drops significantly and your body needs to replace it. Drinking a glass of chocolate milk solves that problem immediately, and it tastes great!
Chocolate milk also speeds up your recovery time after a workout. This is due to the amount of protein that is found in milk. Chocolate milk is also a cheaper alternative to energy drinks or sports drinks, which is great for everyone in this economy!
One athlete that is known for drinking chocolate milk during training is Michael Phelps. Phelps drinks Carnation Instant Breakfast in between races. This is much better than taking steroids or supplements and a lot safer. And hey, if Michael Phelps drinks chocolate milk during competition and is winning gold metals, it must work!
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So go on. Drink a glass of chocolate milk after your next workout. It will save you money, taste amazing, and make you feel better than ever! Have you put on your milk mustache today?
Watch What You Eat! The Top 5 Worst Foods for Your Body
July 20, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
It isn’t always easy to watch what you eat throughout the day, especially for us college students. Between classes, work, and spending time with friends, it gets tough to eat a good meal! Plus, there are so many fast food restaurants around that it makes it easy to pick up some of the wrong foods for your body.
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I gave you tips on some of the BEST foods for your body, but now I am going to give you a list of a few of the WORST foods for your body…Pay close attention ‘cuz these foods need to become a part of your “No-No” list! Get ready… some of these foods may surprise you.
5. Soda Pop: This tasty drink has TONS of sugar/artificial sweetener in it! A can of soda pop can also have as many as 110 calories in it! If you are craving something sweet to drink, try some tea or juice instead.
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4. Cheeseburgers: These delicious, messy masterpieces are just a bunch of fat! Cheeseburgers are low in nutrients and very high in carbs. And the little bit of protein in there? Not much. You will be much better off eating a tuna or turkey sandwich.
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3. French Fries: This automatically goes hand in hand with the bad guy food above. French fries are fried… and fried foods are not good for you! French fries are high in sodium and have over 200 calories of fat in them. Basically, french fries are taking a perfectly good vegetable and stripping it of every bit of nutritional value it has! Just stay away from these guys.
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2. Chinese Food: There isn’t much to say that is good about this kind of food. Yes, it does taste good. But the better it tastes, usually, the more unhealthy it is for you. Chinese food has a whole bunch of sodium and fat which basically makes it a huge plate of grease! If you are craving Asian food, try sushi instead.
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1. Doughnuts: There is not one good thing to say about doughnuts. They have absolutely NO nutritional value! Doughnuts are made from sugar and wheat then fried in oil that is used over and over. This means doughnuts are high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids, neither of which are any good for you. Please… lay off these in the morning!
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It’s really simple. Just get these unhealthy culprits out of your diet… for good! You will look better, feel better, and there is no doubt you will live longer too! It is amazing what getting rid of some unhealthy food can do for your health!
Acai Berries…What’s the Big Deal?
July 13, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
Being in good health is all the rage these days. Everyone is trying to figure out ways to look their best and live longer. There have been many tricks to dieting, but adding berries to your daily eating routine is definitely on the rise.
But what kind of berries? It’s gotta be something more than strawberries…even blueberries. Well, one of the best berries to add to your diet today is the ACAI BERRY. The acai berry is considered a super fruit, and for many reasons. This blog is going to highlight the best of the best of the acai berry and by the time you get done reading this, you will be on your way to a healthier you in no time.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Photo Credit: Google Images
Play Games and Get Fit while at the Beach
July 1, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
Many of us are looking forward to going on vacation this summer and a lot of us will be vacationing at the beach. The beach is a great place to have fun and relax. What many people do not realize is that there is an infinite amount of things to do while you are at the beach! It is more than just a beach of sand and a mass of water!
But vacationing isn’t all about relaxing and being lazy. By staying active, your body and your mind stay active. So why not incorporate being healthy and vacationing at the beach? Here are the top 10 games and activities to play at the beach that will also get your body into shape.
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10. Badminton
9. Playing with a pet
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8. RVing
7. Windsurfing
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6. Frisbee
5. Dancing
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4. Boogie Boarding
3. Running
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2. Surfing
1. Beach Volleyball
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So there you have it! Great games to play at the beach while on vacation! These activities will keep you busy and get you fit…all while on vacation. I don’t think it gets any better than that.
Great Arm Exercises…The Beach is That Way!
June 25, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
As the temperature keeps rising, the sleeves get shorter and we start showing more of our arms. This is great, except for those of us who have the dreaded flabby arms! Flabby arms are hard to show in public, and definitely hard for the public to look at!
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In order to tone up those flabby arms, follow these great exercises. They will tighten up and define your arms fast. Before you know it, you will be pointing your friends in the right direction…”The beach is that way!”
Photo Credit: Google Images
1. Triceps Dips: Start off by sitting on a bench or a chair. Lift yourself up on your hands and bring your hips forward. Drop down about 90 degrees, and lift yourself back up without locking your elbows. Repeat 15 times.
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2. Triceps Kickbacks: Hold a weight in each hand and bend forward at a 90 degree angle. Pull your elbows up to torso-level. While holding that position, extend your arms backward while contracting your triceps. Straighten your arms back out and repeat 15 times.
Photo Credit: Google Images
3. Hammer Curls: Stand with your legs about hip-length apart and turn your palms inward while holding weights in each hand. Your palms should be facing each other. Lift your arms together up toward the ceiling while holding the weights. Your biceps should be contracting in order to do this lift. Bring them back down to the starting position. Repeat 20 times.
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4. Push Ups Plus: Lay face down on the floor with paper plates or special sliding equipment under each hand. Push your torso up into a regular push up position using your arms. At the top of this position, slide your hands together, using the paper plates to help. Hold, then slide your hands back out and drop back down. Repeat 15 times.
Photo Credit: Google Images
By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, your arms will quickly be toned and ready to show off! Don’t let flabby arms hold you back from wearing those amazing summer tops. Feel confident this summer with strong and sexy arms!
Feeling Crummy? Here are the Best Foods to Keep You Healthy!
June 24, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
It is really hard to constantly eat healthy today. With a Starbucks on every corner, a McDonald’s at every mile marker, and vending machines on every floor of your office building, who has the opportunity to grab anything healthy? It is just convenient to grab something while you are on the go, especially as a college student. We make it “right” in our heads by saying, we “are still young and can work it off”, or “oh, it’s only my first coffee of the day”, or “I really don’t feel like cooking tonight”. Excuses. Excuses. This needs to stop!
Photo Credit: Google Images
If you are ready to take the simple steps to eating healthy (some of these foods may surprise you), then read on! Here are five foods that will make you feel better as soon as you start incorporating them into your daily diet!
1. A nice plate of leafy greens: A nice green salad will give your body an extra boost of fiber and antioxidants that keep your system cleansed and ready to go. A good hint here? The greener it is, the better it is for you.
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2. A big bowl of oatmeal: Oats are a great way to get rid of cholesterol, and everyone knows how important it is to keep that cholesterol number down!
3. Fresh blueberries: Blueberries are very high in antioxidants and have recently become one of the foods that many nutritionists are pushing for us to eat. They are called a “super fruit” for a reason…ready to find out why? Eat ‘em and find out!
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4. A hot cup of tea: Basically every type of tea has something in it that is good for your body. Green tea will boost your metabolism, while white tea can fight off diseases!
5. A spoon full of peanut butter: A small amount of this delicious treat is enough to fight off heart disease and diabetes. It is good to know that a treat that tastes so great can do awesome things for the body too!
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There it is folks. No more excuses for not eating healthy! The sooner you start adding these foods to your diet, the better you will feel. So drop the cheese puffs, and pick up some oatmeal people…a healthy new you is just a few food choices away!
Why Frozen Yogurt Ain’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be
June 11, 2009 by Paige Blatnik
Ice cream has always been an American classic for dessert, but lately, many of us have been preferring to eat frozen yogurt over ice cream when we are craving a sweet snack. Frozen yogurt is the healthy choice. It is low-fat, low in calories, and a great protein booster, right? Not so much.
Overall, frozen yogurt IS better for your health than ice cream, but does contain a decent amount of fat, has a lot of calories, and has minimal protein. If you want to keep frozen yogurt a “healthy alternative” when you get that sweet-tooth, follow these steps.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Photo Credit: Google Images
Photo Credit: Google Images
Photo Credit: Google Images
Top 5 Places to Start a REAL Relationship
June 8, 2009 by Alexandra Paul
Many college students complain that it is difficult to start a serious relationship because so many people are focused on hooking up, going out, and getting drunk. As fun as these things might be, there are plenty of students who are over it. For those people who are ready to find someone special, this list is for you! Here are the top 5 places to start a real relationship!
The Library: It’s not just for nerds anymore!
As the job marketplace is getting more and more competitive, students who are serious about their futures are spending long hours in the library studying for exams and writing papers. Take out your head phones and keep a watchful eye out for a hottie studying near you, he or she might be the first person you bring home to your parents! For people who are interested in a career AND a relationship… head to Hayden Library!
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The Park: It’s not just for kids anymore!
So the park might not seem like a normal place to meet someone special… but you would be surprised just how many hot guys are playing football or how many hot girls are walking their dogs. If you are in to sports, animals or the outdoors, borrow your neighbor’s dog and go to the park; you might just end up rollin’ around the grass with your new man.. or woman!
Volunteering: It’s not just for your resume anymore!
Picking up trash might not seem like a glamorous way to find a significant other, but doing something good for your community just might be good for your love life too! Put out some good karma and volunteer with a local nonprofit. If you want to change the world, volunteer your time; you never know what kind hearted hottie is waiting for you!
A Sporting Event: It’s not just for old men with beer bellies anymore!
If you sing “Take Me Out to Ballgame” in your sleep, then the next time you go to a baseball game put your “guy-dar” or “girl-dar” on! You’ll find that it will be beeping all night with all of the hot sports fans. If your top priority in a relationship is being able to talk sports with your bf/gf, then you won’t be disappointed if you meet someone at a game.
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Hiking: It’s not just for the exercise anymore!
If your health is of the utmost importance to you, then maybe you’ve tried meeting people at your gym before, but try going on a hike instead! The people hiking are of a whole different breed than the people at the gym! Every where you look there are beautiful, tanned people running up the side of a mountain. If you want to start a relationship based on love AND health, there is no better way to meet someone than by hiking.
No matter where your priorities in your life and relationships may fall, meeting someone who wants to get serious in college can be hard. No matter what, just keep an open mind and try everything! You can’t go wrong by exploring new places and meeting new people.
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