WesWELL

We can see dandelions as a weed that invades the pristine beauty of our gardens.
Or, we can see it as a beautiful flower or a fluffy white ball to wish upon or as a source of nourishing food and drink.

We can see a mud puddle and see only dirty shoes, soiled clothes, and stained carpets.
Or, we can see it as a pool to stomp in, splash around in, and have fun.

We can feel a wind and worry about how it will muss our hair or toss leaves on our manicured lawns.
Or, we can close our eyes, let it massage our face, and imagine we’re soaring on an updraft like an eagle.

We can see a rain storm and see only that we will be drenched, depressed by the grayness, and that the warm rays of the sun will disappear.
Or, we can sing and play in the rain as if it was a water fountain, realize the raindrops are nourishing our gardens, and think warmly of the sun that still shines above the gray clouds.

How do you choose to view attending to your health?

As a chore? As something the government guidelines say you should do a certain number of minutes a day or in a particular combination of foods or by not doing this or not doing that? As a requirement to check off your “To Do” list, if you get around to doing it at all?

Or as a gift to yourself? As a way to keep your mind, body and spirit strong and functioning in a way that will help you reach your goals? As a means to the end of being a successful person who can give of themselves freely since their cup is filled to overflowing?

How do you choose to view attending to your health? It may make all the difference.

File this one under “Not the way I would have gone about it, but hey, whatever works”.  According to an article released by the UPI, a cow ramming a Scottish woman’s stomach led to a cervical cancer diagnosis. Here’s the full article:

A Scottish woman said she is glad a cow rammed its head into her stomach because the injury prompted an examination that revealed she had cancer. Linlithgow, Scotland, resident Sarah Kerr, 32, was in a pasture feeling stomach pain she blamed on indigestion when a cow head-butted her in the abdomen, the Edinburgh (Scotland) Evening News reported Wednesday. Kerr said she was surprised to learn the stomach pain she felt prior to the blow from the cow was caused by cervical cancer, the report said.

“If it hadn’t been for that accident with the cow I don’t know what would have happened,” she said.

It is reported if Kerr had waited any longer to treat the cancer, the disease would have likely spread to a highly dangerous level.

The more conventional way of discovering cervical cancer, of course, is through a pap smear which is typically included in a gynecological exam. Wesleyan students may schedule an appointment during the academic year for a sexual health visit with Health Services by calling 860.685.2470.

There is a gem of a sexual health lesson buried in this story about oatmeal from WebMD’s Sex Matters blog…

Nearly twenty-five years ago, when I was studying for my comprehensive exams for my Ph.D. in sexology, I had to learn a certain amount of history as it pertained to cultural beliefs about sexuality. I learned it - though I had no picture of why some of it might be particularly useful. But because of my study of history, it turned out that I got to have a private chuckle a few days ago.

But, before the chuckle, here’s the bit of history that came to mind.

In the early 20th century, there was a strong cultural urge to suppress sexual self-stimulation. The most creative (if not diabolical) minds developed many inventions to curb this practice of masturbation - some of them quite “pinchy.” They had a fairly righteous agenda in mind. But, the entrepreneurs of the time also spotted a ripe opportunity in the hysteria.

All it took was the widespread circulation of the equivalent of today’s “urban legend” that hot cereal, when consumed at breakfast, stimulated the urge to masturbate. Enter John Harvey Kellogg (of Battlecreek fame) with his line of cold cereals and a certain Sylvester Graham of Graham Crackers. These dry morsels of food (served with cold milk) certainly could not be accused of stimulating the libido - and, as it turned out, also claimed the supposed moral high ground of suppressing it. And so, a few fortunes began.

With the colder weather setting in, I had been serving my eight-year old son oatmeal for breakfast. When he and I happened to be alone at the kitchen table, he said, “Mom, I don’t think I want oatmeal for breakfast any more.”

“Why not, do you want something else?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“This cereal gives me erections.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes, I’ve got one right now.”

“Oh, sweetie. That’s just your body’s way of checking that your penis is working fine. It will do that from time to time while you’re awake and four to six times at night while you’re sleeping.”

“Really?”

“Yep, really. So, it’s not the cereal, though there are some famous men who thought so and made a bunch of money telling other people that it did.”

“OK, Mom.”

Learn more about Wesleyan’s sexual health resources here.

While this isn’t a health topic per se, I found it terribly interesting and visually stunning.

 The Wellcome Image Gallery offers “a striking display of shapes and patterns illustrating the microscopic structures of living organisms in a spectacular variety of ways.” It’s an look into a tiny little universe we are all influenced by and interact with every day, but that the vast majority of us will never get to see. 

The red blood cells (left) are a great example of this. I thought they looked like beads at first (but then again, I’m a beader, so no surprise there). Enjoy the abstract art of it all!

Be well…
Lisa Currie
Director of Health Education

For your viewing pleasure, a fabulous parody of the Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah”.

Or view it here.

Thanks, Davis!