Page 4 -The Michigan Daily-Weekend etc.- February 13,1992 Med school made us smart and now you can benefit by Saima A. Khan Tiaking care of your health and keeping fit is becoming more and more important. Some students would just as soon spend their mid- night hours in the CCRB as they WoUld the Grad stacks. Regular ex- eicise is a great way to relieve stress a4d keep your body and mind he~lthy. Be sure, as well, not to wait for bealth problems to happen to you. As with most things, prevention and maintenance are the best ways to take care of one's health. Don't for- get your annual physicals When trying to keep in tip-top shape, students can run into various evils. The following health ques- tions and answers might help you recognize some common hazards of student living. The answers have lyn provided by medical students abbe University Medical School in elaboration. with the University Heth Service. Q: What is the difference between HDLs and LDLs? A: High Density Lipoproteins (UDLs) and Low Density Lipopro- teiis (LDLs) are both found natu- ray in the human blood system. The relative abundance of these lipoproteins can either enhance or decrease your chances of developing 'high cholesterol." Both HDLs and LDLs are com- posed of both lipids (i.e. fats and an odorless, white and waxy substance atled cholesterol) and a protein "coat." However, the HDLs are high in protein and low in choles- teol, while the LDLs are high in cholesterol and low in protein. The high cholesterol content of LDLs make them unfavorable because they contribute to the build-up of cho- lesterol on the arterial walls. On the other hand, the high pro- tein component of HDLs enables them to move fats and cholesterol through the body and to the liver where it is later removed. It is pos- sible to alter the proportion of lilibproteins in your blood. Eating 4ow-cholesterol foods, decreasing sa'turated fats, increasing unsatu- rated fats, as well as fiber and exer- cise, can all help in lessening the risk of developing high blood .iblesterol in the future. 'Q: What are genital warts?. A: Genital warts, (also referred to as venereal warts and cocdylomata), are caused by several strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). They can occur on or around the gen- ital or rectal areas, or in the mouth of both men and women. The warts vary tremendously in size, shape, color and abundance. While some individuals experi- ence pain and/or itching with the warts, others detect nothing and hence, the virus often goes unde- tected. This fact may put both men and women at risk of developing se- rious complications such as penile or cervical cancer. Skin-to-skin con- tact is often sufficient to transmit the virus, though HPV is most of- ten transmitted during intimate se- xual activity. Because the incubation period of the virus varies from three weeks to eight months or more, it is often difficult for affected individuals to identify the time at which they con- tracted the virus. Some people do not exhibit any growth of warts for quite some time after becoming af- fected with HPV, yet they are con- tagious from the moment of con- '~~ N 4L I 4 '4 ,~ I* V Have fun with innards. Color this muscleman by letters: a=passion pink d=forest green b=midnight blue e=lemon pucker c=pumpkin lovin' f=velvety violet traction. Thus, rapid and uninten- tional transmission by undiagnosed partners can be a problem with the virus. The best protection against HPV is the proper use of condoms and la- tex squares (dental dams), the use of spermicide containing the ingredient nonoxynol-9, and participation in annual STD screenings. If preven- tion is inadequate and warts are con- tracted, there are a variety of treat- ments available to facilitate re- moval. However, since HPV is a vi- ral condition, no treatment will eliminate the actual virus and a per- son may remain contagious even af- ter the warts have been removed. Q: How effective is Vitamin C in helping to cure a cold? A: While there is a long-standing belief that Vitamin C is the "won- der drug" for colds, more than 30 different investigations show that, not only are large doses of Vitamin C ineffective in preventing colds, they exhibit only a minimal effect in making cold sufferers feel better faster. Those who avail themselves of "Megadoses" of Vitamin C will not only experience the same cold symptoms as non-consumers of Vi- tamin C, but they also put them-. selves in jeopardy of developing ab- dominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea. Therefore, the best advice for cold sufferers is simply to make themselves as comfortable as possi- ble, drink plenty of fluids and rest. Vitamin C (especially in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables) can certainly be incorporated into this routine, yet one should not expect a miracle. A cold is still a cold. Q: How accurate are Pap Smears? A: The Pap smear was developed by Dr. George Papanicolaou in the 1940s as a screening devise to detect cervical cancer. When incorporated as part of an annual pelvic examina- tion, Pap smears are one of the more reliable tests available .today to monitor a woman's sexual health. They help to distinguish normal from abnormal cells vagina, uterus and cervix. A Pap smear consists of cells ob- tained from the cervix and vaginal walls which are then placed on a slide and examined for abnormali- ties. A single Pap smear detects up to 90 percent of the most common types of cancers of the uterus and 70-80 percent of the second most common. Both of these common types of cancer grow very slowly. Thus, there is an excellent chance that regular Pap smears will detect the cancer before it spreads. Q: What other illnesses, aside from lung cancer, are associated with smoking? A: When people smoke, they put themselves at risk for developing a myriad of health problems. Among these are stroke, heart disease, mouth and bladder cancer. In addi- tion, smoking can aggravate existing conditions such as asthma, bronchi- tis, emphysema, peripheral vascular disease, peptic ulcers, high cho-les- terol and even the common cold. When smoking is done in con- junction with the use of oral contra- ceptives or alcohol, the risk of de- veloping some of these and other conditions is even greater. Though many people, especially women, smoke as an appetite suppressant, smoking can actually cause a dan- gerous redistribution of fat in the body (toward the abdomen and away from the extremities). Women who smoke can expect to increase their risk of having miscar- riages, reach menopause one to two years earlier than those who do not smoke, and put themselves at a greater risk for developing osteo- porosis. Ideally, smokers should quit entirely in order to improve their chances of leading healthy lives. Sports Nutrition & Body Building Products *Vitamins & Supplements *Health Foods and a whole lot more 1677 Plymouth Rd. Ann Arbor 665-7688 In the Courtyard Shops-at North Camnus Plaza *I PHOTO ILLUSTRATION SHARON MUSHER/Dadly Looks like Lisa DeBoer, a Pharmacy grad student, is neglecting her New Year's resolutions. So you re going to work out at the CCRB every day, eh?. by Lari Barager B y December 27, you've finally digested your mother's 18-course holiday dinner. You look in the mirror and notice your stomach is beginning to roll. over the waistband of your pants, your arms jiggle when you wave, and you'd be the last to admit it, but your legs are looking lumpier than a bowl of cottage cheese. So, you make a New Year's Resolution to get in shape once and for all. Will you adhere to the workout? Only time will tell. This January the Central Campus Recreation Build- ing accommodated 88,389 running, swimming, weight- lifting bodies - more than any other month, said Building Director Debbie Webb. Though the influx of Arnold Schwarzenegger wanna-bes disrupted the workouts of the more serious athletes for the first month after winter break, they've already begun to dwindle away. (They're probably couch-potatoing and eating microwave brownies.) "New Year's Resolutions is the big rush. Then, they start coming back in (February) thinking they're going to drop 20 pounds before (Spring) break," said office clerk Tracie Stoffer with a smirk. Locker room attendant Robin Reeves admits she and her co-workers have a running bet on how long it will take the resolved athletes to drop out. "I lost - I said they'd only last two weeks." OK, so the gung-ho poseurs hung around until the end of January this year, but you get the point. Those still working out are self-proclaimed hard- bodies. They seem shocked that someone would imply that they don't exercise every hour of every day. "Oh, no ... I've been working out for years, " several people said. Of course you have. Haven't we all? A few honest souls spoke out about their decision to slim down. "Over Christmas break I was just thinking about how pathetically out of shape I am. I wanted to do something about it," said LSA sophomore Jonathan Shandell. Shandell admits, however, that he (like many oth- ers) has had trouble maintaining a regular schedule. "The first couple of weeks I went three times a week really regularly. Recently I've tapered off to two times a week and sometimes once a week. But, I haven't completely stopped ... yet," Shandell said. Shandell is just one of many who have been wimp- ing out on their resolutions. Engineering sophomore Tom Stoffel observed, "It's amazing how much the room has cleared out ... the weak step aside." "That's me!," Shandell piped up. Jose Negron, a third-year Medical student said he has been thinking about getting in shape for five years. "I just started working out today," Negron huffed in between paces on the StairMaster. "I started eating less about four or five days ago, you know, a diet. I'm going to last ... hopefully." "I think after New Years people say, 'I've gotta get in shape.' They either get tired of it, or class work just becomes more important," said LSA sophomore Sharif Metwalli. "The only reason I've kept going is because I go with someone else. If I hadn't, I'd have stopped a long time ago," Stoffel admitted. Most of the regular CCRB-goers notice and detest the swarm of new people who descend upon their fa- vorite equipment in January, and they breathe a sigh of relief when the numbers decrease. "You're not used to having to wait for stuff. There's going to be lines for the more popular equip- ment," said building director Debbie Webb. "What I tend to do is to use it as a time to get a work-out on other machines. There's just no way you can buy enough equipment so that everyone can have one and get rid of, lines." Whether you're an aspiring Jane Fonda or Richard Simmons, you'll want to avoid the CCRB during its peak hours between three and six p.m. Unfortunately, for the shortest lines, the best hours to work out are between seven and nine in the morning. If you don't even get up for class that early, you're surely not going to drag yourself out of bed to sweat your fat away. 01 :vfn:v.v ":v-: v"n :w : :.!"V'1."Y.St":"}I ::'t+fi' ": X::v v.v.:;..,} "}Y ::. .+}:4: ^'fi'": ti+4'>:v: :... 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