Category Archives: Beauty & Health

When we were little, the last thing we wanted to do was take a nap. Now we can’t imagine a day without napping in our favorite spot. But “resting your eyes” may actually be more harmful than helpful.

Sleeping at night (unless you have an unusual schedule) is the best thing. Dr. John Solic, of Mount Nittany Physician Group’s sleep medicine program, says resting at night is recommended for a reason.

“When you sleep at night, your body restores its energy levels by cycling through rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) periods,” Solic says. “For some people, napping during the day can cause you to have less sleep cycles at night, which can affect your body’s ability to strengthen and build bone and muscle, strengthen the immune system and repair or regenerate tissues.” Continue reading →

“Am I doing it?” said the blonde girl casually sitting in the HUB-Robeson Center. “I don’t know,” her friend replied. “You just feel it, it’s not like I’m going to check for you or anything.”

As the two continued on, it became evident that the conversation revolved around Kegels – an easy clench-and-release exercise that strengthens pelvic floor muscles, the same muscles that are responsible for contractions during climax. These muscles work to hold up your bladder, which, in turn, can prevent leakage, strengthen bladder control and enhance sex by boosting arousal.

Before you start practicing Kegels, you must know how to locate the correct muscles. The next time you urinate, attempt to stop midstream without contracting your butt or abs. Hold for a few moments, and then continue the flow. The start and stop muscles at work are the muscles you want to target. Continue reading →

Remember when diaries and journals were all the rage in middle school? Looking back, you may be a tad embarrassed that you even wrote something in strawberry-scented gel pen. But before you toss that Lisa Frank notebook, give journaling another chance by trying a food journal.

A food journal is a record of what you eat, when you eat it, calories or anything else you want to know about how you eat. Why should you even bother writing down everything you consume? Tammy Impellitteri, a licensed, registered dietitian in Mount Nittany Physician Group’s endocrinology practice, says food journaling can give you a lot of clues about your eating habits.

“Food journaling is really eye opening for some people,” she says. “In many cases, what people perceive they’re eating is actually a lot less than what they’re actually eating. People don’t always realize how much they’re eating or how often until they see it written down. Continue reading →

We are spoiled women – when it comes to hair products, that is.

Today’s market has thousands of brands and products to choose from, each ranging in price and quality. But the hunt for perfect product has become overwhelming. Do we have too much of a good thing?

Drug store hair care brands carry hundreds of products, each claiming that their products are equal – if not better – to salon products at the discounted price. But the truth is, there is a difference.

Hair stylist Alli Lemon recently ranted about this in a ha-larious blog-post “10 Things Your Hairsylist Wants You to Know.” Continue reading →

How would we make it through college without our support system?

Our parents, friends and classmates help us get through the nitty-gritty of college life. It’s these support systems that push people from wellness into darkness. But in today’s culture, support comes in various outlets – and mostly through social media. Who knew that one hashtag could push your friend over the edge?

So let’s take a look at what’s trending on your news feed. Pro-ana (pro-anorexia) is an online community that promotes the practice of anorexia in order to achieve “the perfect body”.  #ProAna is found in various social media outlets such as Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter.

“It’s so visually present in social media and it’s so in your face,” says senior Torri Singer. “People will fall back into old habits because they see it in their face, especially websites like Instagram because it is so visual.” Continue reading →

It’s easy to disregard urine as waste because you flush it down the toilet every single day. But your urine is a lot more valuable than you think, so it’s time to take another look at the toilet bowl.

Dr. Howard Miller, a urologist at the Mount Nittany Physician Group, says the color, smell and appearance of urine can be clues into your overall health.

“Most individuals want to aim for urine that is a clear, pale yellow with no strong odors as this indicates a healthy and well-hydrated state,” he says.  “Darker yellow and strong [smelling] urine may indicate that one’s body isn’t getting enough water.” Continue reading →