Author Archives: ichwb

About ichwb

The Institute is a collaborative of campus and community members committed to enhancing the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, organizations and communities within Cal State Northridge’s service region. The primary mission of the Institute is to foster healthful living through community and campus partnerships.

Why Thrifting is Good for You and the Environment

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Image: Kai Pilger // pexels.com

By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern

The fashion industry moves fast. We buy more clothes now than ever before, and we are constantly exposed to new styles through social media. The fashion industry is not exactly environmentally friendly, though, and in 2015, 10.5 million tons of textiles were dumped into landfills. So what can we do to help? While we can’t all take a trip to London to protest Fashion Week, we can shop a little more sustainably. Continue reading →

Positive Sexuality

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Image: rawpixel.com//pexels.com

By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern

An Interview with Andrew Pari (and Anita Roghanian) from Center for Positive Sexuality

It was mid-morning on a sunny Tuesday outside the CSUN Bookstore Complex, and the Center for Positive Sexuality’s royal purple tablecloth fluttered gently in the San Fernando Valley breeze, a selection of the Center’s reading material holding it down. Andrew Pari, Executive Director of Sexual Assault Awareness, and Anita Roghanian, a CSUN Psychology graduate, sat behind the table, smiling as students and staff drifted by. I met Andrew several years ago and have since enjoyed the privilege of discussing feminist principles and trauma-informed approaches in all aspects with him, and I was excited to know that he had partnered with the Center to help bring awareness of positive sexuality resources to my college campus. He agreed to answer a few questions for the Institute:

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Some Facts About Handwashing You Didn’t Know

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Image: Burst // pexels.com

By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether you really need to wash your hands, here are some facts to remind you of the importance of handwashing:

Most health-care associated infections (HAIs) could have been prevented with good hand hygiene. HAIs are infections people get while being treated in a health care setting, and are caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. What’s worse is that many of these infections are resistant to antibiotics; this means that they are difficult to treat, and preventing them with good hygiene is a healthcare provider’s best bet.

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Why Everyone Should Have This One Sleep Habit

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Image: Daria Shevtsova//pexels.com

By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern

Sleep deprivation is a major source of stress for college students; only 12% of CSUN students report getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Last minute study sessions and due-at-midnight assignments have claimed many nights, and many people are left wondering how they can get their sleep schedule under control. Stress and sleep problems are closely related, but there is one trick that may alleviate the issues caused by a problematic sleep schedule:

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Choosing the Best Menstrual Hygiene Option for You

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By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern

Our lives are full of decisions in this day and age:

  • What will I make for dinner? Which movie should I see? Where should I go for spring break?
  • We have more choices today than previous generations ever did, and menstrual health is no exception. Pads? Tampons? Menstrual cups?! Oh my!
  • Menstrual hygiene is the matter of absorbing and discarding menstrual fluid in a clean and safe way. It can be tough to decide which menstrual hygiene method is best for you, so here’s a breakdown of options to help make the choice easier.

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