KU students seeking an alternative to prescription medicine for their cold and allergy symptoms can find natural and homeopathic remedies at the Community Mercantile.
While conventional allergy drugs often make you sleepy, homeopathic and herbal remedies do not. However, as Denning reminds, they are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. She recommends Claritin or Allevert, which contain the key chemical, loratidine. Both can be bought over-the-counter. If these do not work, a doctor can prescribe Allegra or Zyrtec. To relieve excessive nasal stuffiness, nasal steroid sprays are available by prescription.
Denning advises allergy sufferers to keep their windows closed, "so you don't invite the great outdoors in." and the air conditioning up to filter the air. Also, carry a bottle of water around with you; drinking lots of water lubricates your mucous membranes, making you less stuffy. Jayplay, in return, advises you to keep a handy stash of tissue wherever you may go.
—Sara Behunek, Jayplay writer, can be reached at sbehunek@kansan.com
A MATTER OF KNEAD
Stress. In our constant quest to balance school, work, family and friends, it's become a staple in our lives. Stress can cause headaches, sleeping disorders, eating disorders, lower back pain and high blood pressure, says Francis DeSalvo, Counseling and Psychological Services director.
So, how can we escape stress and its symptoms? Well, there aren't any miracle cures; here's a suggestion — massage. Visiting a certified massage therapist can help you de-stress and contribute to your overall health.
Although they feel like magic, massages work for very scientific reasons. They relieve stress by increasing circulation and stimulating muscles, says Marcia Butell, Lawrence massage therapist. The physical pressure of a massage increases blood flow to and from cells. The oxygen content within a cell can be 10 to 15 percent greater after a massage.
The appeal? "Massages are amazing," says Kristy Zoglman, Wichita graduate student. "Everything about them is relaxing. They get rid of all my tension."
More and more people are recognizing the benefits of massage.Eighteen percent of Americans received a massage in the previous 12 months, according to the American Massage Therapist Association.
Massages loosen contracted or shortened
muscles, thus relieving tension. "What we're doing is balancing the muscle and bringing the body back to a homogenous state," Butell says.
"A massage can increase the mind's ability to grasp concepts and calculate numbers," says Lynette Novelli, Iowa massage therapist and spokesperson for the American Massage Therapist Association.
Mart Schwartz, Lawrence massage therapist witnessed the effect of massages on brainpower firsthand. "I've had students come in before tests to clear their heads and prepare. It always seems to help them," Schwartz says.
For many students, the biggest obstacle between them and a half-an-hour of blissful, tactile stimulation is money. Massages are notoriously expensive, but savvy students can overcome this barrier." A 15-minute chair massage can be the most amazing thing for college students," Novelli says." They decrease stress and tension, and they're not expensive. They're around a dollar a minute." Novelli advises students to pool their money for massage parties. During these parties, a hired massage therapist comes to the party thrower's house and takes turns giving guests 15-minute-massages." It's a social gathering that relieves stress," Novelli says.
—Lauren Reidy, Jayplay writer, can be reached at lreidy@kansan.com
Got Books? Need Cash?
GET'EM ROUNDED UP FROM:
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1420 Crescent Road·Lawrence, KS 66044
Top of the Hill; Voted Best Bookstore by KU students
thursday, September 25. 2003
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