Stress

Can gardening save stressed-out students?

April 1, 2013

The sun has finally returned to Michigan (for now). The early flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and my fellow students and I are again facing the proverbial dilemma: work or play? In the spring, our school-induced stress levels seem to grow at the same rate as the flowers when the end of the [...]

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Forest Bathing: Making a splash in preventative health

February 22, 2013

If you’ve ever been on a long wilderness trip, you know what it feels like by the end of the first week. Miles from civilization and seven days from your last hot shower, your thoughts may periodically (or obsessively) turn to bathing.  It’s easy to imagine steam rising from a bathtub just beyond the next [...]

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Relieving Stress with the Help of a Four-Legged Friend

March 22, 2012

Anyone who knows me knows that my Newfoundland dog, Moose, plays a leading role in my life.  I’m sure some people think I’m crazy for letting him do things like sleep in bed with me, but Moose is just as much a family member, if not more so, than some of my human relatives.  Not [...]

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Stress: Shrinking Your Brain and Risking Your Health

March 15, 2012

As spring approaches, so does the end of the semester, and my Google calendar is quickly becoming a blur of colored boxes that signify classes, group project meetings, and florist appointments (because for some reason, I thought it was a good idea to plan a wedding while I was earning my MPH).  With a full [...]

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Asparagus: More to Love

March 13, 2012

When it comes to the chores of life, I can handle cleaning toilets, I tolerate laundry, but I absolutely LOATHE grocery shopping.  I will live off of canned beans and rice for days before I finally break down and go to the store.  Something about maneuvering that cart with the squeaky wheel that won’t spin [...]

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