fear – UNC Healthy Heels

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: What fears are holding you back?

September 18, 2015September 16, 2015Sara Stahlman1 Comment

This post was originally written by Sara Stahlman.

Each of us has a “Hall of Fears,” things that limit us, that keep us from living our fullest lives.

For three minutes, write a list of things you are afraid of – mine begins like this, “I’m afraid of heights, of stumbling when walking in front of people, of death, of success, of not living my life fully, of snakes, of tight spaces, of getting cancer, or being sucked out of an airplane at 20,000 feet…”
Read over your list. Some fears keep us safe. Some just keep us small. Which fears keep you from doing things you really want to do? Circle those.
Fear is a learned behavior: For each of those circled fears, spend three minutes trying to describe where and how you learned it.
Then pick one and spend four minutes writing a short children’s story about unlearning that fear: How would you teach a child to not have that fear?

There is a powerful momentum that comes from anger, though it can be destructive as well. For the next month, walk into your anger by recognizing what fear it represents. When you feel angry – the meeting is starting late, the babysitter canceled at the last minute, your partner left dirty dishes in the sink – acknowledge the anger and challenge yourself to uncover the fear underneath it (I’m not taken seriously; I don’t know how to assert myself and people feel they can walk all over me; I haven’t made my needs well known and am afraid I’ll look selfish if I do). Patterns will emerge that will help you identify the fears underlying your anger. In that process, you may learn how to recognize the fears that underlie the anger of others too.

*Adapted from “Life is a Verb” by Patti Digh

Fear and Anger

July 6, 2012November 12, 2012Sara Stahlman1 Comment

I adore “Life is a Verb” by Patti Digh. You can check it out here.

One of my favorite sections talks about the intersection of anger and fear. I’ll paraphrase it below, but please consider looking at the book in its entirety.

Each of us has a “Hall of Fears,” things that limit us, that keep us from living our fullest lives.

For three minutes, write a list of things you are afraid of – mine begins like this, “I’m afraid of heights, of stumbling when walking in front of people, of death, of success, of not living my life fully, of snakes, of tight spaces, of getting cancer, or being sucked out of an airplane at 20,000 feet…”

Read over your list. Some fears keep us safe. Some just keep us small. Which fears keep you from doing things you really want to do? Circle those.

Fear is a learned behavior: For each of those circled fears, spend three minutes trying to describe where and how you learned it.

Then pick one and spend four minutes writing a short children’s story about unlearning that fear: How would you teach a child to not have that fear?

How do fear and anger intersect for you?

HPV and Men

May 8, 2012September 9, 2013lbrit4591 Comment

Did you know that the CDC recommends that men get vaccinated against HPV (human papilloma virus)? It’s true! The CDC now recommends the HPV vaccine Gardasil for both men and women ages 9-26 years old.

Man, HPV is confusing. So true! My fellow Sexual Wellness Specialist (formerly CHECS) Diana has written a great blog entry about HPV. I want to reiterate that there are over 100 strains of HPV that are transmitted through skin/skin contact in the genital region. Some strains of HPV don’t do anything. Some cause genital warts. Some cause cancers. Gardasil vaccinates against four common strains: HPV-16 & HPV-18 (which cause most of the cancers) and HPV-6 & HPV-11 (which cause 90% of genital warts).

You probably noticed that Gardasil does not vaccinate against all strains of HPV. This means that Gardasil reduces risk of infection but cannot entirely prevent it. It’s still important to take other risk reduction steps, like using condoms and dental dams.

Also note that there is another HPV vaccine available for women, but not men, called Cervarix. It only vaccinates against HPV-16 & HPV-18 (which cause most of the cancers).

I thought HPV was a women’s health issue. Continue reading →

Buyer be Aware: Preventing Foodborne Illnesses

June 14, 2011June 12, 2011Sarah Weller PegnaLeave a comment

It’s all over the news. We’ve been warned against contaminated eggs, tainted peanut butter and most recently possibly poisoned cucumbers and sprouts. But what does it all mean for us, the consumers? We still have to eat. Should we be wary of all foods? The answer is yes and no. While deadly strains of E. Coli, like that seen in Germany, are probably not lurking in your pantry, it is important to follow proper food safety and preparation guidelines. Food safety, as with a lot of things, is an area where a little bit of information can go a long way in helping you to protect yourself against sickness.

A great place to start gathering info is at FoodSafety.gov. The site is a collaboration between the different governmental agencies that play a role in food safety, including the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And while the purpose of this article isn’t to praise the site, for the average consumer, such as myself, it’s got all the information on food safety that I need, from proper cooking temperatures, and food preparation and storage, to food safety for events (think parties, packed lunches, etc.)! They even post food recalls and alerts.

So while I really advocate that you go to FoodSafety.gov and check it out for yourself (some of the tips can be surprising. For example, did you know that basic food safety principles apply to your pet too?). I’ve also summarized some of the basic tips that I gleaned from the site that you can put into practice in your kitchen…

Clean: While this may seem like a no-brainer (remember in kindergarten when we all had to line up before lunch to wash our hands), it bears repeating. Think about all the things you touch throughout the day. Washing for about 30 seconds, or two verses of “Happy Birthday” helps to rid your hands of all the nasty things you might have picked up. The same thing goes to your food, cooking surface and supplies, make sure to give them a good rinse (with soap) before using to ensure you wash off whatever they might have picked while in your fridge, on the self, in the store, etc.

Separate: Raw meats and eggs can contain harmful bacteria, so it is important to keep them separate from other foods (especially those you eat raw or won’t be heated enough to kill bacteria, like lettuce or tomatoes). In your fridge, seal meats up to keep them separate from other foods. When cooking, make sure to thoroughly clean knives, chopping boards, etc. before using them again.

Cook: If you can’t stand the heat, get out the kitchen (okay that was corny). Bacteria can’t stand heat. By cooking foods to the proper temperature for the proper amount of time you can kill foodborne illnesses. Using a food thermometer can help to determine whether your food has reached these temperatures (what to know what they are? Check it out.) It’s also important to make sure perishable foods (those foods that can go bad when unrefrigerated) maintain a safe temperature. The FDA provides safe temperatures of many common perishables including, meats and eggs.

Chill: Refrigeration is key. Storing foods in the refrigerator prevents bacteria growth. Just make sure that your fridge and freezer are at the proper temperatures (refrigerators should be around 40^o F and the freezer around 0^o F).

Bon Appetit!

Check Your Balls!

March 22, 2011June 11, 2012Dave1 Comment

“What seems to be the problem?” – The question I had feared from the moment I entered the UNC clinic door. In a low voice I said, “Lower abdominal pain and … (clearing my throat) … testicular pain”. “Oh… I see. Take a seat and someone will be with you shortly.”