World AIDS Day on December 1

December 1 marks the twenty-first anniversary of World AIDS Day, an occasion designated as a day of worldwide commemoration and celebration.

According to the World Health Organization, “World AIDS Day on 1 December draws together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.”  The themes of World AIDS day are to spread awareness and promote HIV/AIDS prevention research, treatment, and care worldwide.

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS reported that as of December 2008, there were an estimated 33.4 million people living with HIV. An estimated 2.7 million were newly infected with HIV in 2008, and there were 2 million AIDS-related deaths the same year. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV, accounting for 67% of HIV infections worldwide in 2008.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, every nine-and-a-half minutes, another person in the United States becomes infected with HIV.  This adds up to 56,300 new infections each year.  There are more than 14,000 AIDS-related deaths every year in the United States.  Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, 1 in 5 is unaware of his or her infection and many may be unknowingly transmitting HIV to others.

Several organizations on campus, including the Black Student Union, Sisterhood, Student Government Association, University Residence Government,
Dowell Health Center, Center for Student Diversity, and Black & Gold Catering, are hosting a series of programs and events to recognize the occasion:

There will be free walk-in HIV testing from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the University Union, room 305.

At 10:30 a.m. and again at 2 p.m., “I Am Because We Are”, a documentary film about the lives of children orphaned by AIDS in the African nation of Malawi, will be shown in the Chesapeake Room in the University Union.  The film was produced by Madonna, and features leading experts such as President Bill Clinton, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Professor Jeffery Sachs, and and Dr. Paul Farmer.  If you cannot attend either screening, you can watch the documentary on YouTube.

At 12 p.m., Mandela’s HIV/AIDS Initiative: Africa & Beyond, an informative program that will include a Peace Tree Lighting ceremony will take place in the Women’s Center in the University Union, room 313.

At 4 p.m., the Dowell Health Center will host a Sexual Jeopardy game about HIV testing and outreach in the University Union, room 306.

The One World, One Fight, One Meal benefit dinner will be held in the Potomac Lounge at 6 p.m.  The dinner is donation-based, but a $5.00 donation is recommended for those who would like to attend.

2009 World AIDS Day Poster for Towson University

The purpose of World AIDS Day is to remind us of the threat and impact of HIV/AIDS on our world and inspire us to do more to fight back.

Faculty/staff boot camp will resume December 1

You may have read about the Towson University Wellness Center’s faculty/staff boot camp in my earlier posts.  Now that we’re in the full swing of the holiday season, if you haven’t tried boot camp yet, now is the time.

Boot camp is a series of dynamic workouts incorporating strength training and cardio moves that is offered on Towson University’s campus twice a week.  Recently, the American Council on Exercise named boot camp the top fitness trend for 2009.

The second session of boot camp will start on Tuesday, December 1, 2009.  This 5 week session will run from December 1st to December 31st.  Class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Wellness Center in the Administration Building, room 113.

Boot camp is open to all Towson University faculty and staff, and all fitness levels are encouraged to participate in the circuit training workouts.  Christine Woods, the program director for faculty/staff wellness who is leading the circuit training workouts, modifies each move at three different fitness levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.  This allows participants to choose the intensity level that is best suited to their personal fitness level.  One of the best things about boot camp is the feeling that you’re getting a personalized workout for your body type while exercising in a fun, friendly group setting.

Class is free, but participants must sign a waiver form before starting the program. Waivers can be signed in the Wellness Center at the first session of boot camp.

Participants should dress warmly, since workouts will be held outdoors, weather permitting.  For more information, call the Wellness Center  at 410-704-4555.

How to have a happy, healthy Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving is a fantastic holiday to enjoy family, friends, and comfort foods.

But, according to the American Council on Exercise, the average American consumes 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving, which is the equivalent to eating 5.5 Big Macs from McDonald’s or 15 Supreme Tacos from Taco Bell.

The American Dietetic Association recommends starting your day with a small meal made up of elements from the whole grains, fruit, dairy and meat and beans groups.  Then, instead of starving yourself the rest of the day, grab small, low-calorie snacks that will fuel your body until it’s time for the big feast.  If you starve yourself before a big Thanksgiving meal, you’ll be more likely to overindulge when you finally do eat.

Try to make time for exercise during the day.  Go for a walk, take a bike ride, or play games like touch football with family, friends and neighbors.  Most communities will have 5K or 10K races or fun runs on Thanksgiving weekend.  For a list of events in Maryland, check out the Maryland Running Guide’s November race calendar.

When dinnertime rolls around, choose your foods carefully.  Eat mindfully: chew slowly, savor your food, and recognize when you’re full and stop eating.  Take time in between bites to talk to friends and family.  And don’t deprive yourself of foods you love.  You don’t have to skip the stuffing or pumpkin pie, but load up on healthier, nutrient-rich Thanksgiving superfoods like sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, green beans, and cranberries.

Finally, accept the fact that it’s a holiday.  Don’t stress or feel overly guilty if you indulged more than you usually would.  Instead of panicking or drastically altering your diet for the rest of the weekend, make an effort to eat healthier for the next couple of days.

Campus Recreation Services offers special Group Ex classes for Thanksgiving week

On Monday, November 23 and Tuesday, November 24, Campus Recreation Services will offer fun, unique Group Ex classes to help Towson University students, faculty, and staff get ready for the upcoming holiday weekend.  As part of the Turkey Burner tradition, Campus Recreation Services Group Ex instructors have selected some of their most popular classes and added a few exciting new classes for this week only.

If you’re on campus today, stop by Gym 3 in Burdick Hall to burn off some pre-holiday calories and boost your metabolism for Thursday’s feast!

Here is the Turkey Burner class schedule:

*Please call 410-704-5624 to reserve a space in Corespin, since there are a limited number of spinning bikes available

Towson University preempts a Thanksgiving caloriefest with a 5K Run

This Saturday, November 21, Towson University Campus Recreation Services invites TU students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of the Towson community to participate in one of its most storied traditions, the Turkey Run.

Participants in 2008 Turkey Run

2009 marks the 27th year that this event has been held on campus to promote healthy lifestyles, foster a sense of community, and raise money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research.

This is my second year as Race Director for this fantastic event, and I’m looking forward to some of the exciting changes we’re implementing.  We’ve  created a new course that winds through TU’s picturesque metropolitan campus, and we’re pushing the race start time back to 9:30 a.m. to allow participants to get an extra hour of sleep.  Most importantly, we’ve added a 1 mile fun walk, so that people who prefer a shorter distance can still have the opportunity to participate.

The race will feature a dynamic warm-up with two of Campus Recreation Services’ energized Group Ex instructors as well as an appearance by Sir Charles Gobbler, the Turkey Run’s felt-feathered mascot.

Crossing the finish line at the Turkey Run

To sign up for the 5K run or 1 mile walk, download and print a registration form off the event Web site, or pick one up outside of Burdick Hall Room 150.  Fill out and return the form with your registration fee to Burdick Hall Room 150 by Friday at 3 p.m.  Or you can register on race day, from 8:30-9:15 a.m. in Burdick Hall Gym 1.

The warm-up on Burdick Field will begin at 9:15 a.m. and the 5K race will start at 9:30 a.m.  The 1 mile walk will begin at 9:45 a.m.  After the race, there will be food and beverages served in Gym 1, and an awards ceremony to recognize the top male and female finishers in each age division.  The three age divisions are as follows: 25 and under, 26-49, and 50 and over.

Towson University’s Healthy Campus Task Force seeks creative slogan

The Towson University Wellness Center, Campus Recreation Services, and the Dowell Health Center are teaming up to form the Healthy Campus Task Force.

“The goal of the Healthy Campus Task Force is to generate programs and collaborate with other advocates on campus to support the goal of creating a healthier campus” said Jessica Kibbe, Coordinator of Fitness & Wellness in Campus Recreation Services.

The Healthy Campus Task Force is currently holding a contest to come up with a slogan for its campus-wide wellness campaign, which will represent and promote all health, fitness, and wellness programs and events at TU.

Entries are due by Monday, December 7, 2009, and should be e-mailed to Kate Reeder, Coordinator of Health Promotion and Education Services at kreeder@towson.edu.  The task force will review all entries and select one winner, who will be recognized for his or her creativity during the announcement of the new slogan and will receive additional prizes.

If the contest winner is a faculty or staff member at TU, then he or she will receive a comprehensive fitness and health risk assessment and a 6-month membership to the Wellness Center.

If the contest winner is a student, then he or she will receive a free fitness assessment, fitness orientation and five personal training sessions with Campus Recreation Services.

Enhancing student recreation experiences through sponsorships

 

American Collegiate Intramural Sports banner in C.R.i.B.

Towson University is one of just over 200 campuses sponsored by the American Collegiate Intramural Sports organization.  The American Collegiate Intramural Sports organization sponsors programs and events on campus and provides exciting giveaways to student participants throughout the year.

Some of the American Collegiate Intramural Sports programs at Towson University are the Fitness Rewards program, the Playtex Sport Instructor Sponsorship and the Playtex Sport Fit Female of the Month.

The American Collegiate Intramural Sports Fitness Rewards program promotes healthy, active lifestyles by rewarding students for working out in their campus recreation center.  All TU students are eligible to participate in the program, and can sign up in C.R.i.B. Fitness Center.

“The fitness reward program is trying to encourage students to exercise and be active on campus.  You have to work out 30 minutes and you can get credit 2 times per week for the year.  After your workout, just have one of the fitness floor staff members sign off on your fitness rewards card” said Hilary Centineo, the intern for Marketing & Communication in Campus Recreation Services.

 

Fitness floor staff in C.R.i.B.

Every time a student works out in Campus Recreation Services, he or she earns points that can be redeemed for prizes.  After 10 workouts, you earn a water bottle.  20 workouts qualifies you for a drawstring gym bag and after 30 workouts, you receive a free t-shirt.  In addition to these prizes, you can also enter the American Collegiate Intramural Sports Fitness Rewards Sweepstakes for the chance to win a grand prize trip for two to anywhere in the U.S. or 1 of 10 Schwinn Bikes.

 

Enter the Fitness Rewards Sweepstakes to win a Schwinn Cruiser bike

The Playtex Fit Female of the Month program recognizes one female student who has made a commitment to stay active by participating in campus fitness classes and events, and using the facilities in her college’s recreation center.  Each month, the three Playtex Sport Instructors select the Fit Female of the Month based on attendance and participation in Group Exercise classes.

This year’s Playtex Sport Instructors are Erin Brennan, Felicia Sauer, and Marissa Beauduy.  ”These three women are very dedicated to the department and excel in their roles as Group Ex instructors,” said Lauren Carrier, Assistant Director of Marketing & Communication in Campus Recreation Services.

 

Erin Brennan, Playtex Sport Instructor, teaches a yoga class on Wednesday evenings in Burdick Hall

 

 

 

 

Out & About: Charm City Yoga Hot Vinyasa Class with Edith Brotman

Charm City Yoga on 7 Allegheny Avenue, Towson MD

Last weekend, I followed up on my promise to attend Edith Brotman’s yoga class at Charm City Yoga, after missing her free class during Love Your Body Week at TU.  It was such an incredible class, I knew I had to return this week.  And in case you haven’t tried yoga yet or haven’t been to Charm City Yoga, I’ll share a little bit about my experiences.

Charm City Yoga offers a variety of classes for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students.  The Towson studio is conveniently located on Allegheny Avenue, less than a mile from campus.

One of the things I like best about Charm City Yoga is their position that “the idea is to explore your personal limits, not to strive for pretzel-like perfection or drown in esoteric teachings.”

In the two classes I’ve attended, there have been a range of experience levels from beginner to intermediate to advanced students.  It’s a very diverse environment, representing all ages, body types, and fitness and flexibility levels.

Edith Brotman, instructor at Charm City Yoga Towson

Edith teaches the Hot Vinyasa class on Sundays from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., which is best suited for intermediate and advanced yoga students, but beginners are still welcome to come.  Completing the practice in a heated room warms the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which allows for deeper stretching, and you sweat a lot, cleansing the body of harmful toxins.

Door to the Hot Vinyasa Studio at Charm City Yoga Towson

Hot Vinyasa studio at Charm City Yoga Towson

The word must be getting around about how great this class is, because the room was packed.  Not to the point of being uncomfortable, but having short limbs actually proved to be advantageous today.

“Whether you’ve never done yoga before or you’ve been practicing for 200 years, I want you to treat today’s class like a new beginning,” Edith said.  As we moved through sun salutations, warrior poses, and inversions, Edith walked around the room helping students make adjustments, find balance, and take the stretch deeper than they thought they could.

“Challenge yourself to find your edge,” Edith said.  ”Don’t stretch until you feel pain, but challenge yourself to push the boundaries of your comfort zones.”

The class was challenging, but very rewarding.  I achieved two personal goals, completing a right leg split and lowering my legs into pike during my headstand inversion.  The woman on my left achieved her first extended side arm balance.

I could have stayed in savasana (final relaxation pose) all day, but Edith had other plans for us.  We stood and placed our hands in prayer at heart center, then sealed our practice with a traditional Namaste bow and salutation.

With an impish grin, Edith pressed the play button on her iPod and the speakers started blaring “Wake the Sun” by The Matches.  Then Edith started singing, dancing, and jumping around, arms waving rhythmically, radiating her own contagious sunshine.  Everyone laughed and most of us released all inhibitions, dancing around the room with her for the remainder of the song.

What an amazing way to start the day.  I’m hooked.  Hope to see you in class next week.

The Rundown with Kate Reeder: Coordinator of Health Promotion and Education Services

On Wednesday, November 11, Towson University announced that it will become the first four-year institution in Maryland to become a smoke-free campus as of August 1, 2010.  To help members of the Towson University community prepare for the change, the Dowell Health Center will provide free individual smoking cessation assessments and smoking cessation classes in partnership with the Baltimore County Department of Health.

Earlier today, I met with Kate Reeder, a Coordinator of Health Promotion and Education Services in Dowell Health Center.  Kate and I discussed the free smoking cessation classes and assesment for TU students, faculty, and staff, and the upcoming 2009 Great American Smokeout event.

Can you give me an overview of the smoking cessation service at Dowell?

KR: We’re going to start offering smoking cessation classes for students in February and for faculty and staff in January.  Students can also come meet with me one-on-one for an assessment and to talk about some of the nicotine replacement products available and learn more about the cessation classes.

How does this event align with the Dowell Health Center’s mission to support a healthy campus?

KR: The Health Center is trying to support the campus going smoke-free and to encourage people to choose healthier behaviors.  Tobacco is one of leading preventable causes of disease and death, so it’s an obvious area to focus on.

How is TU participating in the 2009 Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society on November 19?

KR: The Great American Smokeout is a campus-wide initiative for students, faculty, and staff, both smokers and nonsmokers.  If someone is a tobacoo user, they’ll get some tips and information about how to quit and learn about resources available on campus.  They’ll also be able to have an opportunity to quit for the day.  They can hand over tobacco products and we’ll give them alternatives like mints, gum, candy, and lollipops that they can use throughout the day instead of cigarettes or chew.  We can also help students who are nonsmokers but have friends who smoke by sparking conversations and helping to trigger that thought process of wanting to quit.

What are the goals of this event?

KR: To increase awareness of the dangers of using tobacco and explain the different options available on campus to help people quit.  And to reduce health risks from smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke on campus.

The 2009 Great American Smokeout will take place in the University Union on November 19, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Why I got my H1N1 Vaccine Today

This morning between the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Burdick Hall looked like a Best Buy parking lot the night before the release of the Xbox 360.  Students queued up from the entrance to Gym 1 all the way to the doors by the baseball field, waiting in line to receive their H1N1 vaccine.

Today marked the third H1N1 vaccine clinic held on Towson University’s campus since the university received its first allotment of the vaccine.  Anyone under the age of 24, those who live with an infant or are the primary caregiver for an infant less than 6 months old,  people ages 25 through 64 with a chronic medical condition or weakened immune system, and pregnant women were eligible to receive the vaccine today.  Having recently celebrated my 24th birthday, I met one of the requirements for today’s priority group.

Back in September, I got my seasonal flu shot, a cocktail of three influenza viruses (not the 2009 H1N1 virus) that will cause antibodies to develop in a person’s body that will provide protection against influenza virus infections.  Since the 2009 H1N1 flu is a new flu virus, most people have little or no immunity to 2009 H1N1 flu.

I had no intention of getting the H1N1 vaccine when I woke up this morning.  I was never fully convinced that I should or should not get the shot, and my attitude about the whole thing fell somewhere in the middle.  I worried about side effects, but I also worried about leaving my body unprotected to against the virus.  With the end of the semester looming ahead, I can’t imagine being sick for two weeks while I’m trying to write research papers, study for finals, and take exams.

So at 2:30 p.m. my friend Alli told me there was no line and we could just go get our shots.  I said I will if you will.  She said the same.  So, on a complete whim, I decided to get vaccinated.  Sign here, initial here, sit here, roll up your sleeve, quick prick, cover it up with a band aid, and done.

 

Receiving my H1N1 vaccine in Burdick Hall this afternoon.

After receiving my H1N1 vaccine