Health Education and Promotion
Health Education and Promotion plans, develops, implements, evaluates and coordinates health-related educational programming to promote wellness: healthy lifestyles, health maintenance, and disease/injury prevention for UTB/TSC students. Alcohol and drug abuse prevention, weight management, nutrition, and healthy living are the main focus of our Health Education and Promotion program. Health education counseling is at your service to provide you with information and support in making informed decisions about your overall health and wellness to ensure a healthier quality of life.
To schedule an appointment, contact Student Health Services at (956) 882-3896.
Women’s Health Issues: Both women and men experience almost the same health problems. However, because of anatomical and physiological differences, health problems can affect women differently. For example, women may have different signs and symptoms of a heart attacks, strokes, and anxiety attacks. Some diseases or conditions are more common in women than in men, such as; low bone density, obesity and depression. Other health conditions are unique to women such as menstruation, menopause and pregnancy.
Women often neglect their own health and focus on the health/medical needs of their spouses’ and/or of their children. Seeking out health education and counseingl for prevention against the onset of any disease or disorder is an investment to your own health and those around you. Your health should be your number one priority!
For more information on women’s health, click on the websites below. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/womenshealth.html (Medline Plus: Women’ Health)
http://www.medicinenet.com/womens_health/article.htm (Medicine net: Women’s Health)
http://www.cdc.gov/women/ (Center for Disease Control & Prevention: Women’s Health)
http://orwh.od.nih.gov/ (Office of Research on Women's Health)
http://women.cancer.gov/ (Office of Women's Health, National Cancer Institute)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/ (The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Men's Health: For college-age men, the risks of disease, injury, and death are greater than for women of the same age group because college men engage in far fewer health-promoting behaviors than college women. A high percentage of college men have reported sleep deprivation, high level of stress, unhealthy eating behaviors, a lack of physical activity, high levels of alcohol consumption, and the use/misues of prescribed medications as well as illicit drugs. College women are more likely to practice self-examinations for early detection of disease, such as breast cancer and pap-smears due to do the availability of services and educational programming on campus. College men are less likely practice self-examinations for testicular cancer and other types of disease due to the lack of male-specific educational programs and services available to them (ACHA, 1998).
For more health awareness information, educational health presentations or questions regarding general men’s health topics, contact the Student Health Education and Promotion program at (956) 882-8967.
http://www.auanet.org/ (American Urological Association)
http://www.cdc.gov/men/ (Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Men's Health)
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menshealth/MC99999/UPDATEAPP=false&FLUSHCACHE=0 (Mayo Clinic – Men’s Health Center)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menshealth.html (Medline Plus)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menshealth.html (Medline Plus
Health Promotion: UTB/TSC Student Health Services Clinic encourages all students attending classes on campus to take responsibility for their health and wellness. The SHS Clinic provides the most up-to-date health care services and information to you for you to maintain or improve your health. Students should take an active role in their health care so we encourage students to ask questions regarding diagnosis, laboratory tests ordered, how medication may affect you or interact with others that you may be on as well as any need for follow up care. You are encouraged to speak freely with your health care provider about personal matters or concerns you may be having in regards to your physical or mental well being. If there is anything you do not understand, please ask for clarification.
When you come to the SHS Clinic, be prepared to answer questions about your health, your family medical history, habits, use of medication and or home remedies and known allergies. Women may be asked if you could be pregnant to ensure that medical care (vaccinations, medications, etc) will not pose risk to a developing fetus. You may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable discussing issues with your health care provider but know that our staff is here to listen and help. Remember that all information is treated in a confidential manner. It is vital that you be as open and honest as possible.
www.cdc.gov/HealthyLiving/
When Life Gets You Down… “You didn’t do so good on a test”, “Got in an argument with your significant other,” “ Lots of stuff to do at work,” “ Over whelmed by college demands?” “Feeling bad about yourself?”
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Do you turn to food for comfort?
How about a warm fudge Brownie with a scoop of Vanilla ice-cream? What about a Root beer float? A nice big plate of Nachos? Perhaps a full rack of ribs with extra B-BQ sauce?
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If you do, you’re not alone.
Some studies show that while women comfort themselves with such foods when they are feeling down in the dumps, men indulge as an enhancement when they are feeling their best. The findings may lead to a better understanding about food choices that lead to weight gain or, conversely, promote a healthy lifestyle.
If you feel like this is your situation and you are adding on extra “not –so comforting” calories, give us a call: Student Health Services (956)882-3896. The weight management program is a tool that might bring some comfort to your life.
The weight management program offers the following: Nutrition assessment: A comprehensive analysis of a person’s nutrition status that uses health, socioeconomics status, drug use , and diet histories; anthropometric measurements; physical examinations, and laboratory tests.
Lipid Analysis: Blood serum lab test to detect a person’s level of cholesterol, HDL, LDL, glucose. These markers are useful to determine the most beneficial meal plan a person should follow to enhance their health status.
Complete Wellness Screen: Mini physical exam which includes a person’s height, weight, heart rate, blood pressure, finger glucose check, BMI and body fat %.
Nutrition Counseling: It consists of sessions with the Health Educator to help answer any questions pertinent to food, such as, nutrition, recipes, behavior eating modification, healthier cooking, weight management concerns, and allergies to food.
Individualized exercise prescription: Tailored individualized, comprehensive exercise program which includes cardiovascular training according to the individuals’ heart rate zone and weight. It is created to meet the person’s realistic goals and preferred type of training - i.e., circuit training, plyometrics, and resistance bands. Specialized training programs are also available for people with special needs such as diabetes, osteoporosis, prenatal-post natal, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
1:1 session with exercise specialist: One time 1.5 hour training session with an exercise specialist who will show you the proper use of the equipment, proper techniques, speed, and stretching of the exercises prescribed. The exercise specialist will also assist you with on filling out the exercise log.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/WT99999 (MAYO CLINIC Weight Loss)
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/we ightcontrol.html (MedlinePlus: Weight Control)
www.mypyramid.gov/ (MyPyramid.gov - United States Department of Agriculture)
Healthy Eating: Tacos? Tacos are not healthy? Take a closer look! These tacos are prepared with grilled chicken and ground turkey. Eating healthy does not deprive individuals of their “favorite foods.” It mainly provides individuals with the concepts and tools they need to make healthy decisions on the foods they consume. A healthy eating plan can reduce the risk of disease and disorders and improve a person’s quality of life.
The first steps to a healthier lifestyle begin with the fuel that you supply your body- Food! So let us assist you with the tools and professional guidance you need to start eating healthier. We provide:
- Individual diet analysis
- Nutrition Analysis
- Comprehensive nutritional information
- How to read labels
- Caloric intake/ Caloric expenditure
- Recommended daily intakes
- Disease prevention
- Healthy recipes
- Tips for healthy cooking
- And much more
Reproductive Health & Sexual Health Education: Reproductive health and sexual health education encompasses education about all aspects of sexuality, including family planning, reproduction (fertilization, conception and development of the embryo and fetus through childbirth) , plus information about all aspects of one’s sexuality including: body image, sexual orientation, healthy relationships, healthy dating, sexually transmitted diseases, how to avoid them, as well as birth control methods.
Our services can assist you with any questions you may have or provide you with educational information you may need pertaining to reproductive health and sexual health education. Our networks also include Planned Parenthoodand Valley Aids Council. Campus class presentations or programming on any of the topics mentioned above are available. Call (956) 882-8967 to schedule a presentation
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/reproductivehealth.html (MedlinePlus: Reproductive Health)
www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/cpr/crh/ (Contraception & Reproductive Health (CRH) Branch)
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sexualhealth.html (MedlinePlus: Sexual Health)
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/interactivetools/ (MedlinePlus: Health Check Tools)
http://www.smartersex.org/ (College Sex Education)
Border Health Education: Border residents face the most dramatic health disparities in America today. Sharing an international boundary ensures that disease and other chronic illnesses travel freely across this frontier, creating medical crises due to inadequate access to resources, and a poor health care infrastructure. The current health issues along the border of United States and Mexico include poor access to care, a shortage of health professionals, inadequate dental care services, lack of health insurance, obesity, infectious diseases, mental health problems, hunger, access to Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) capitation rate disparities, and recent budget cuts. These are just some of the challenges that Texans on the Border confront (Border Health Commission, 2008).
To find out more on the pressing health issues border communities encounter, click on the additional sites provided.
http://ruralhealth.hrsa.gov/border/ (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
http://www.borderhealth.org/border_region.php (United State and Mexico Border Health Commission)
Travelers’ Health Education: Thinking of taking a trip? There are a few items you should consider before packing. Traveling can increase your chances of getting sick. It takes your body time to adjust to the water, food and air in another place. Unlike the vast part of the United States, some foreign countries do not have potable drinking water or FDA regulations. If you are traveling out of the country, you might also need vaccinations and an ample supply of your medications for they may not be readily available. To assist you further with your traveling health needs and questions, please refer to the links provided at the end of the screen.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/travelershealth.html (Travelers Health)
http://passporthealthdfw.com/home.html (The Vaccine People)
Relaxation: Part of college life includes many types of stressors brought on by a variety of circumstances and events. Stress is a feeling of tension created when we react to pressures caused by life/college situations. Stress can be precipitated by financial matters, college exams, relationships, deadlines, expectations, and so forth. Whether you have a lot or minimal amount of stress in your life you can benefit from learning relaxation techniques.
Our department offers a variety of relaxation techniques that may help you cope better with the stressors in your life. For more information on our services, please contact us at 882-8967.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/relaxation-technique/SR00007 (Mayo Clinic: Relaxation) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stress.html (Medline Plus Stress)
Alcohol and Drug Education: Most college freshmen have the misconception that college drinking is a culture and a norm. Although there some groups that engage in this type of behavior, research has indicated that alcohol consumption and the use of drugs is, in most cases, is detrimental to a student’s health and academic career.
UTB/TSC prides itself on providing the best available resources to ensure students’ success and timely graduation. Student Health Education and Promotion Program is one of those resources available to enrolled UTB/TSC students where they may seek health education and counseling for areas such as alcohol abuse and drug use. Referrals to outside rehabilitation agency are also available.
Campus class presentations or programming on these topics are available. Call to schedule a presentation (956) 882-8967.
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/ (College Drinking Changing the Culture)
http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/ (Alcohol & public Health)
http://www.bacchusgamma.org/alcohol-resources.asp (Bacchugamma)
http://www.tobaccofreeu.org/ (Tobacco Free U)
http://www.edc.org/hec (U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention)