Exercise Boosting Immunity?

https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/f/flu_seasons.asp

In my previous post "Exercise = Happiness," a point was brought up to look into the facts of how exercise affects your immune system. The New York Times article tells of an experiment done with mice and the correlation between exercise and the influenza virus. The experiment had a group of mice running on a treadmill until they were exhausted while another group sat in their cages for three days. The mice were exposed to the influenza virusbeforehand, which after the exercise, resulted in more of the mice who had exercised catching the virus over the sedentary mice, also showing more severe symptoms.

"'The bulk of some new research reinforce a theory that physiologists advanced some years ago, about what they call “a J-shaped curve” involving exercise and immunity. In this model, the risk both of catching a cold or the flu and of having a particularly severe form of the infection 'drop if you exercise moderately,' says Mary P. Miles, PhD, an associate professor of exercise sciences at Montana State University" (Reynolds). It has been found that it is right after an intense workout, your body is less immune to a cold or flu virus. "'The longer the duration and the more intense' the exercise, 'the longer the temporary period of immunosuppression lasts — anything from a few hours to a few days has been suggested" (Reynolds). Immunosuppresion can be defined as the weakening of the immune system. A study was collected looking at a group of soccer players' saliva immunoglobulins, substances that help to fight off infection, before and after an intense 70 minute match. It was discovered that before the workout, the players had normal levels and afterward the players' levels dropped dramatically. 

Scientists have found that once you've caught a bug, intense exercise can only make symptoms and severity worse. They recommend relaxing and letting your body heal before partaking in vigorous exercise activity. Scientists discuss that exercising during a simple head cold or congestion may actual make you feel better, but it's the prolonged, intense workouts that should be avoided. 

Source(s):

Reynolds, Gretchen. "Phys Ed: Does Exercise Boost Immunity?" Well Phys Ed Does Exercise Boost

         Immunity Comments. New York Times, 14 Oct. 2009. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.

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Stacie Kussro

Why do I Want to be a Physical Therapist?

Physical Therapist- "health care professionals who diagnose and treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives (APTA)."

     Regardless of age, everyone eventually might need to go and work with a Physical Therapist. The job of a PT is to examine an individual's injury and see how they can work together to rehabilitate them back to their original health. A PT creates exercises and wellness programs to ensure their patient is healthy and ready to live a comfortable life again. 

     Having tore my hip flexor in high school, I went through many sessions of Physical Therapy. He worked with me a few times a week to build the strength back in my hip, ensuring I could run and walk normally again. He would assess my range of motion each session, using a Goniometer. A Goniometer is basically a tool used to measure the range of motion in a certain joint. 

It was cool to see how after each session my range of motion in my hips would increase, and I would feel better. 

     Not only do Physical Therapists restore a patient back to health, but they also feel great about doing it afterwards. Being someone's doctor for a few weeks or even months at a time really enables a bond to be created between them. I want to see the happiness in a patient when they're able to walk again after breaking a leg, or an athlete who is able to run again. Not only do I want to be a PT for myself, but to help others. I hope it will be a rewarding job to have. 

Larissa Laeder

Cited:

"Role of a Physical Therapist." Role of a Physical Therapist. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Prompt 9: Recognizing Significance

Bone Density Enhanced by Weight Training: Important Research Helps to Improve Quality of Life 

http://www.azendo.com/dexa-scan.html

An article posted on NaturalNews.com discussing bone density and research done on how strength training can help to improve this problem shows a great representation of the importance of the kinesiology field. 

Summary of Article:

Bone density can be defined as "the amount of bone tissue in a certain volume of bone. It can be measured using a special x-ray called a quantitative computed tomogram" ("Bone Density"). When a person grows older, their body's bone density naturally decreases. Osteoporosis becomes a major factor when determining the quality of life for an individual. Osteoporosis is when the bones become fragile and brittle due to the loss of bone tissue. Strength training has been shown to improve such problems by allowing an increase in longevity, the length of one's life. An increase in bone density, improved muscle strength, and better balance helps prevent bad falls, which are typically a turning point in an elderly's life, forcing them to be immobile and dependent on others. Research suggests adding a variety of exercises to one's life, especially those that are older and women that are postmenopausal because of the lack of estrogen. Such exercises performed do not need to be the intensity of training for the Olympics, but the simplicity of weight training, brisk walking or dancing will do. Aerobic exercises such as swimming are not beneficial to improving bone density, but they are still good for cardiovascular training. Exercises are recommended to be completed for 15-30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week. Making sure to work different muscle groups is vital. 

Without the field of kinesiology, such discoveries and research would not be able to be performed. The study of exercise was able to be applied to old age and helping to prevent osteoporosis and the problem with bone density. The research discussed within the article explains that strength training provided a little better bone density than those who choose not to participate in strength training. "According to Dr. George Kessler's Bone Density Program, 'One study of people in their 80s and 90s living in nursing homes who exercised with weight machines three times a week for just eight weeks showed improvements in strength, balance and walking speed'" (Veracity). Kinesiology is prevalent throughout many areas in today's society.  

Source(s):

"Bone Density." MedicineNet. Medicine Net, 28 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.

Veracity, Dani. "Bone Density Sharply Enhanced by Weight Training, Even in the Elderly."

             NaturalNews. Natural News Network, 6 Aug. 2005. Web. 19 Oct. 2015. 

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Stacie Kussro

Prompt 10: Grey's Anatomy Medical Myth's

After writing the Cultural Artifact Essay I decided to connect my blog for the week to the topic of my paper. In my paper I focused on popular television show, Grey's Anatomy. In my paper I discussed the medical errors and stereotypes of doctors and nurses that are constantly occurring in the show and how offensive it is towards real life doctors and nurses who dedicate their time to patients and work extremely hard.

In Grey's Anatomy, there are many many medical errors; minor and major. A good majority of the time the errors are revolved around the cast and how they are bad examples of hospital staff. After watching an episode many people might assume that working in the hospital is glorious, pretty faces to look at all day and access to an on call room WHENEVER necessary. The truth is this does not happen. On call rooms are not meant for "hook ups" and not every one in the hospital is McSteamy or McDreamy. 

I think it is important that people keep in mind how unrealistic the show is because it creates a not so great image of people who actually work in the hospital. Although it is entertaining it is important to remember it is just a show. Most of the behaviors occurring on the show are not real, along with the cast and the relations between cast members. It is important to be educated on the real medical field so that the people who work hard to keep us healthy are not under appreciated!

WIKIPEDIA

Rachel Grzanka

Tread-Science

     Many health clubs focus on "three elements of health (UMD)" The three elements include cardio, strength, and flexibility. There are many different machines that fitness club goers can use that focuses on these strengths. There are treadmills, weight lifting areas, and products designed to help with stretching, but there is one other element that the Researchers in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland have started to focus on. They have been focusing on balance control. They aim to "improve balance for people at risk for falls including those with balance disorders, stroke survivors, Parkinson's disease patients, and the elderly, among others (UMD)"
     The invention that helps with this balance strength is called the "Treadsense." This product helps a person maintain their balance while they're in motion, which is the most important time to have good balance. If you don't have balance while you're moving, a fall is more likely to occur. The Treadsense was invented by "Kinesiology Professor John Jeka; kinesiology doctoral student Eric Anson, who is also a licensed physical therapist; and kinesiology masters degree student Peter Agada (who is a UMD physics alumnus) (UMD)"
     Having a machine to improve balance can help with so many aspects of working out. Balance is something that is used in everything a person does. Walking, running, and going down the stairs are all simple things that use a lot of balance skills. many elderly people have trouble doing those simple tasks because they're balance isn't as strong as it used to be. That's why the Treadsense is such an important invention. It combines a "webcam, treadmill, and a computer modeling of the human body" (CPH) to provide feedback on how an individual is moving. It's especially helpful with teaching people to walk again after an injury.

Larissa Laeder

Cited:

"Kinesiology Invention "Treadsense" Helping People Recover Mobility and Balance." Kinesiology Invention "Treadsense" Helping People Recover Mobility and Balance. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2015.

"College of Public Health." Dr. Jeka Receives US Patent for TreadSense. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2015.

Exercise = Happiness

http://athletelibre.com/blog/

When you exercise, you often feel better about yourself after. Some people use exercise as a stress reliever and as a way to cope with drastic life changes. But why do you feel so good after a good run? Or a great day at the gym?

"We know that exercise has been shown to improve the sleep patterns of insomniacs, as well as lower their anxiety. Studies on rats indicate that exercise mimics the effects of antidepressants on the brain. Exercise is also responsible for the creation of new brain cells in the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory" (Scheve). Both happiness and exercise are a boost to the immune system and are caused by the release of endorphins. Endorphins act as both a painkiller and a reward. "You're probably familiar with the term 'runner's high,' which refers to the euphoric feeling one sometimes gets when exercising. Researchers have found that light-to-moderate weight training or cardiovascular exercise doesn't produce endorphins, only heavy weights or training that incorporates sprinting or other anaerobic exertion" (Scheve).

They also both produce antibodies, happiness alone increasing the amount of antibodies by  50%. Exercise has shown to increase the amount of antibodies by 300% and also the amount of T-cells, "the immune system's 'killer cells.' By increasing numbers of 'hunters' (antibodies) and 'killers' (T-cells), it's no wonder a workout keeps you healthier. And since people who exercise tend to report higher levels of happiness, the exercise-induced happiness improves the immune system independent of the physiological effects of the exercise" (Scheve).

Cortisol levels are also lowered during exercise, cortisol being a hormone released in your body during periods of stress. This would suggest why one's feelings of anxiety decreases while working out. 

Exercise promotes a healthier immune system and overall puts people in a higher, uplifting mood. So why not exercise every now and then?


Source(s):


Scheve, Tom. "Is There a Link Between Exercise and Happiness?" HowStuffWorks.
              HowStuffWorks, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.





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Stacie Kussro

Vaccines vs. Travel

I found an article that really caught my eye this week. The article was titled, "Many Americans Don't Get Recommended Vaccines Before Travel". This article caught my attention because I travel a lot. After doing some research and seeing the possible diseases I could catch while traveling abroad it really opened my eyes to how important it is to be up to date with vaccines.

Some diseases that can be caught while traveling are:

• Measles
• Hepatitis A
• Polio
• Cholera
• Schistosomiasis

It interested me to see how each disease was passed on through organisms, and where each disease originated. All the diseases come with great risk and it is important to be properly vaccinated, traveling or not. Sometimes you don't even have to travel to catch a "traveler's disease".

Think about the food you eat. Think about where it comes from. Think about how it is prepared. Do you really know what you're eating? Because a lot of the time when food is bought from a grocery store or prepared in a restaurant it is imported and you never know what your "food" was doing or eating. 

Be cautious when eating:

• Seafood
• Meats
• Vegetables

After reading the article and doing follow up research I concluded that I need to be extremely cautious about vaccinations and being up to date on them for the health of myself and the people that I am around. 

Rettner, R. (2015, October 9). Many American's Don't Get Recommended Vaccines Before Traveling. In Live Science. Retrieved October 11, 2015, from http://www.livescience.com/52449-americans-vaccines-travel-abroad.html

      Rachel Grzanka

Talk Topic 1

 

Not so Fast...

     I'd like to discuss something that is really close to many medical related students' hearts. That is the show Grey's Anatomy. Don't get me wrong, it is a great unrealistic drama that attracts many viewers, but this show misrepresents the medical field greatly.
     The show is about doctors completing their residencies, but it's more of a sex crazed drama than anything. Grey's represents the medical field as much easier than it really is. A huge example in one of the episodes is when one of the characters cuts a wire on a patients heart monitor to make him sicker, so that she can spend more time with him. In real life she would get removed from the residency program and then most likely sued. In the show, she gets lightly punished and gets to continue working on the patient. This not only gives a misunderstanding of how serious this type of mistake is, but also lets people think that it's okay to make mistakes like that. Another huge thing is that physicians are never allowed to become romantically intimate with their patients. It's a part of the contract they sign when they receive a job.
     Another huge mistake that the show does is zooms in on the patients face during surgery. Just by reading a few articles on how doctors prep for surgery, the first item on the list is that they have to tape the patient's eyes closed. This is so that the patient doesn't get corneal abrasions. This practice is standard in the hospital world, so it's just another reason why the show is so misleading.
     Definitely don't stop watching this show, (it really is exhilerating) but remember that none of it is true and being a physician is really one of the hardest jobs out there.

Cited:
Kirzner, Amanda, DO, MPH. "'Grey's Anatomy' vs. Real-life Residency: You Already Know How This Turns out - The DO." The DO. N.p., 05 Sept. 2014. Web. 11 Oct. 2015.


Larissa Laeder

Sport Injuries: Affecting Athletes' Menality

http://www.mojocomic.com/comic/sport-injury/ 

Sport injuries are typically unexpected and are unfortunately one of the largest risks of participating in a sport. "While most injuries can be managed with little to no disruption in sport participation and other activities of daily living, some impose a substantial physical and mental burden" (Putukian). Some student-athletes allow these injuries to impose a psychological response that can provoke mental issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or substance use or abuse. The emotional response is just as vulnerable and often the hardest to deal with. Most athletes find themselves having difficulty coping with the injury and how it will affect them. Some of the emotional responses include:

• Sadness
• feeling unhappy and in despair
• Isolation
• separation of others
• Irritation
• constant annoyance
• Lack of motivation
• not willing to do things, lazy, nostalgic 
• Anger
• feeling upset, mad
• Frustration
• annoyed or upset with being unable to change something
• Changes in appetite
• eating less or more than usual
• Sleep disturbance
• not being able to fall asleep, constantly thinking about injury 
• Disengagement
• withdrawing from activity or a group of people

Some athlete's participation may be withdrawn from minutes to days to weeks to months or years depending on the severity of the injury. The length of being drawn away from the athlete's sport may increase and lengthen such emotions and mental health issues. It's important to note that such emotional responses are to be expected from the injured athlete, but they become an issue if they are not resolved or worsen over time. 

Concussions are injuries that student-athletes struggle to cope with the most, seeing that there is never an estimated recovery time and also not much to do to help speed up the healing process. Concussions are more of a mental injury, making it more difficult for athletes to realize it's just as important as a physical injury. Just because there is not physical identification of an injury does not mean it is not present or not as serious. 

Seeking treatment for the mental affects of injuries is just as important as seeking the treatment for the injury itself. Athletes have been shown to be a bit more stubborn when it come to admitting harsh mental affects the injury has caused upon them. "They may be afraid to reveal their symptoms, may see seeking counseling as a sign of weakness, may be accustomed to working through pain, may have a sense of entitlement and never had to struggle, and may not have developed healthy coping mechanisms to deal with failure. In addition, many student-athletes have not developed their identity outside of that as an athlete. Thus, if this role is threatened by injury or illness, they may experience a significant 'loss.'" (Putukian). Coaches, athletic trainers, and team physicians may be the best outlook for student-athletes, seeing that the athlete feels that they can connect with them the most as to what they are experiencing. Keeping the athlete feeling a part of the team is also crucial towards avoiding psychological issues. It can boost themselves into feeling that they haven't completely lost everything they've worked so hard towards.   

Source(s):

Putukian, Margot. "Mind, Body and Sport: How Being Injured Affects Mental Health." NCAA.

             NCAA, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

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Stacie Kussro

What is Nursing?

As a student interested in the nursing field there are many assumptions I have made about nursing that are not actually true of the major. There are many assumptions I made, such as assuming income, hours, and things of that nature. The issue with assuming these things about nursing in general is that there are so many jobs within the nursing field. It is hard to assume something about nursing (in general) when there are so many different types of nursing.

After doing some research I have come to find that there are many different types of nursing. Each different type of nursing has a different income and different hours. This was interesting to me how broad the one major was. I am now better educated than I was when I first was deciding on a major, but at first I was clueless to how many options nursing truly offered. 

Before deciding upon nursing I always thought

-nursing was as specific as it got

-nurses were just the doctor's aids

-nurses made about half what a doctor made

-nurses all worked intense hours

Now that I am majoring in nursing and have done research on multiple types of nursing I know

-there are VARIOUS types of nursing (anesthesia, pediatric, labor, etc.)

-all various types of nurses have various incomes

-all various nurses work various hours

Although it would make things much more simple if all types of nursing required the same amount of schooling and had the same income that isn't the case and it is understandable. It is good that all nurses are educated differently and make different amounts of money because each type differs from each other and we need all types of nurses for proper health care of individuals everywhere.



No Sources Were Used in This Blog Post

Rachel Grzanka

What is Biotechnology used for in Kinesiology?

Biotechnology: Technology based on biology.

When biotechnology is used in Kinesiology, it's called biomechanics. Biomechanics are used to enhance athletic ability in humans by creating new efficient technologies. A common way Kinesiology uses biomechanics is through 3-D graphics. Through these graphics, they can see where the problem areas are in the body, and they can find ways to help heal those stress areas. Biomechanics help understand "how muscle properties dictate the coordination of movement, exploring the mechanical behavior of musculoskeletal structures at the tissue level, and exploring innovative solutions to orthopedic problems (psu)." In other words, biomechanics help doctors and therapists find new ways to help cure problems people may be having in their joints and muscles. This is really important for students who want to pursue Kinesiology to know because this is a huge role of the industry.

There are numerous classes at Michigan State called "Biomechanics in Kinesiology" that students are required to take for this major. This was a topic I thought was important to share, because coming into college I had no idea what biomechanics were, or that my major really focuses on it. Once I started going to my Kin classes more often, I started to hear more and more about this. Now as I research deeper, I find that so many helpful cures and inventions have came from the use of biomechanics.

Source:

"Biomechanics." Biomechanics. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2015. <http://www.hhd.psu.edu/kines/graduate/areas/biomechanics>.

Larissa L.