While temperatures haven’t been on the rise too drastically yet this term, Eugene will begin to warm up as summer gets closer. The possibility of becoming dehydrated rises with the temperatures, so staying hydrated will be important in the upcoming months.

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluid than it gains. Symptoms of dehydration include, but are not limited to: Increased thirst, dizziness, confusion, inability to sweat and decreased urine output. Along with decreased urine output, change in urine color is a primary warning sign of dehydration. 

Being dehydrated can lead to severe negative side effects if not treated promptly. According to a study done by University of Connecticut’s Human Performance Laboratory, “Even mild dehydration can alter a person’s mood, energy level, and ability to think clearly … The test results affirm the importance of staying properly hydrated at all times and not just during exercise, extreme heat, or exertion.”

The key to avoiding dehydration is staying hydrated through drinking water, but fruit and vegetable juices, dairy and tea can also help reach the body’s needed intake of water. Also, many foods contain water for hydrating our bodies, including fruits, vegetables, meats and poultry.

Staying hydrated isn’t hard, but it’s important to recognize the warning signs of dehydration and treat them before it escalates. Knowing the symptoms of any possible health concern is essential to avoiding it.

One of the biggest misconceptions about diets is that if you cut fat from your meals completely, you won’t gain any more fat. The truth behind this myth is some fats, certain types called good fats, can be beneficial to your body in many ways and actually aid in weight loss.

According to University of Oregon Health Center nutritionist Jessica Wilson, “We have essential fatty acids our body and brain need to function, our omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.” She also explained the difference between good, unsaturated fats and bad, saturated fats — and how each affect our diet.

Good, unsaturated fats are soft at room temperature, like avocados and nuts. Bad, saturated fats are solid at room temperature, like butter or bacon grease.

“When we can replace saturated fats with unsaturated, the outcomes for better health have been shown,” she said.

According to a four-week study by the Menzies School of Health Research, “Substituting dietary saturated with unsaturated fat, predominantly monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), can induce a small but significant loss of body weight and fat mass without a significant change in total energy or fat intake.” This means replacing bad fats with good ones can actually help aid in weight loss without affecting other aspects of health.

According to Wilson, for the typical, healthy college student, the nutrient that causes weight gain the most is alcohol.

“Our metabolism of alcohol happens in the liver, and while our body is trying to rid itself of the poison, it is no longer able to metabolize all of the Pita Pit or Dough Co. that you’re eating late at night,” she said. “So opposed to metabolizing it for energy, we store it for a later time as fat.”

Following alcohol, she explained eating too much of any nutrient, such as protein or carbohydrates, will cause the body to store it as fat. The types of food individuals eat are important because eating less complex and satisfying meals can lead to a more rapid hunger response or overeating.

“Cutting fat from the diet will be an easier way to cut calories from the diet,” Wilson said, “because fat has a lot more calories per gram, but we are also cutting a lot of the satisfaction from our foods so we are more likely to eat more of them.”

The Student Recreation Center has begun hosting month-long competitions to test student and member abilities in certain focus areas. These “Muscle of the Month” contests are relatively new and provide an opportunity for participants to test their strength and form in a fun environment with the possibility of winning prizes.

This month’s competition is called “The Pull-Up Challenge” and began April 1. The challenge goes until April 30 and already has several participants according to rec center staff.

The rules for the challenge are as follows: each participant must perform one set of pull-ups per day and return to dead hang position after each count (The participant’s chin must go up to the bar.) In addition, the challenge rules state women may use the assisted pull up machine set to 50 percent of their body weight, if necessary.

The winner of the challenge receives a $50 GNC gift card and a “Muscle of the Month” T-shirt. Also, every 30 pull-ups completed and tracked by a rec center employee gets you a raffle ticket into a drawing for another $25 GNC gift card and a shirt.

Members of the rec center staff seem to be enthusiastic about the challenge as well.

“I think it’s just spreading awareness to overall fitness and encouraging people to come in and get fit,” rec center employee Brad Williams said.

A lot of students already do pull-ups, both on their own and assisted, during their normal workout routine. The challenge offers an opportunity to continue doing something many students already do with added incentive to work a little harder.

The chances that you drink alcohol to better your health are slim. No alcoholic beverage is technically healthy for you, but some may have minor health benefits — if consumed in moderation. Next time you’re at the bar, keep these health facts in mind when choosing what drink to order.

— Wine lovers, rejoice! Red wine could actually improve heart health. According to an article published by the Mayo Clinic, “Resveratrol might be a key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol and prevents blood clots.”

— If that isn’t enough, a popular hard liquor has some mild benefits as well. According to a study published in 2003 by Australia’s Monash University, “… a shot of whisky(sic) will give the equivalent ‘antioxidant potential’ to the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C!” That doesn’t mean you should start replacing whiskey with your breakfast orange juice, but next time you take a shot of Jack Daniel’s, feel free to say “You’re welcome” to your immune system.

— Next time you’re feeling sick, try drinking a Hot Toddy, a mixture of herbal tea, honey, lemon and a shot of whiskey or bourbon. The drink is known to relieve congestion and ease the symptoms of the common cold or flu. But again, use in moderation to avoid dehydrating the body, especially when you’re ill.

Alcohol consumption isn’t necessarily bad for you, as long as you are smart about it. And while none of these alcohols have major health benefits, the small benefits are enough to make most of us feel a little better about what we choose to drink.