2021 Best Gifts for College Students (Especially Those that “Have Everything”)

Happy Thanksgiving week! Ready to shop for your favorite college student, but no clue what to get? I’ve got you covered! Here’s my 2021 list of the gifts that I order and recommend to promote HEALTH and HAPPINESS in your college student. (Please note that I have no financial ties to anything other than The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook.) 

For Stress Reduction: 

  • Weighted Blanket– These can be pricey, but for anyone dealing with anxiety and/or insomnia, they are worth their WEIGHT in gold. What weight? 15-20 lbs. (Bigger adult, heavier blanket. 15 lbs is plenty if
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Starting to Exercise? Time for SOLE Searching!

If your New Year’s Resolutions include an exercise program, START by taking a close look at the BOTTOM of your shoes. If they look like mine in the picture above, get thee to a shoe store before you get moving with your walking/jogging/running plan. Note the smooth areas (not to mention the circular area trying to be an actual hole)- that means I have completely lost the tread and traction in that area.

Are new, good quality running shoes necessary? YES. After two decades of private practice (and seeing hurt knees, hips and ankles that might have been prevented … Read more

Positive Twist: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #20: The Final Challenge!

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Positive Twist: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #20

A couple years ago, I heard a motivational speaker issue a challenge- every time that you find yourself saying or thinking something NEGATIVE, add a comma and a “but…”and finish the sentence with a positive twist. (I wish I could remember her name, to give credit- my apologies.) For my last weekly challenge, rather than focusing on a physical change, I thought it would be great to focus … Read more

Travel Snacks: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #19

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Travel Snacks: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #19

At home and work, I have a well-established routine for bringing healthy snacks. I always take a thinly sliced apple and a single serving-size of peanut butter or a handful of nuts. However, when I travel…the lure of french fries and Coke will create a force field that sucks my car right in to that drive through (with a long list of rationalizations why I “deserve” this treat.) … Read more

Eye “FLOSS”: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #18

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Eye “Floss”: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #18

We all know flossing our teeth is a good idea, right? Certainly our future 70 year old selves would engrave that in our bathroom mirrors if they could. Every dentist that I know is quite faithful about flossing daily. Interestingly, most eye doctors that I know have a similar but lesser known ritual for their eyes. Not actually eye “floss” as my title teased, but eye LID SCRUBS.… Read more

Candy Day: 20-1-17 Challenge Week #17

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Candy Day: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #17

Growing up, Sunday was “Candy Day.” Mom lined up her brightly colored glass jars and bowls filled with assorted hard candies and fun-sized Snickers and Milky Way chocolate bars along the counter, while my siblings and I impatiently lined up to fill our little sandwich bag with treats. We were never allowed to eat candy during the week, but on Sunday afternoons we indulged. This tradition worked on … Read more

Old School Keyboarding: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #16

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

Old School Keyboarding: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #16

When my Mom’s Alzheimer disease prevented her from recognizing me as her daughter, the only way I could consistently engage with her was through music. Christmas carols, children’s songs and Broadway show tunes would almost always bring a smile to her face, and her eyes would often brighten as she nodded and sang along. My most cherished memory from those last challenging years was sparked by this … Read more

Nuke It: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #15

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

NUKE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #15

How do you clean/sanitize the sponge that you use to clean your family’s dishes, pots & pans? Like sneakers, kitchen sponges are replaced far less frequently than recommended. When researchers check bacteria counts on kitchen sponges, the numbers are are impressive- both in restaurants and in homes. (Oct 2016, International Journal of Food Science, Microbiological Safety of Kitchen Sponges Used in Food Establishments)

It makes sense that … Read more

HIDE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge, Week #14

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

HIDE IT: 20-1-7 Challenge Week #14

I’m frankly embarrassed with the frequency that I use the “FIND My iPhone” App (what a Godsend for distracted minds!). However, this week’s challenge is not to FIND it, but to purposefully HIDE it- when we DRIVE. Parents of teenagers- what do we tell them every day? “DO NOT TEXT & DRIVE”, right? RIGHT.

And then- how many of us have our iPhones sitting in the drink holder…calling … Read more

If the SHOE Fits… 20-1-7 Challenge Week #13

Dr. Grimes’ 20-1-7 CHALLENGE:

  • For the first TWENTY weeks of this year,
  • Pick ONE healthy change every Sunday, and
  • Commit to that change for SEVEN days.

If the SHOE Fits…20-1-7 Challenge Week #13

While the saying goes “If the shoe fits, WEAR it,” this week’s challenge is almost the opposite, because we are talking about your athletic shoes. Call them sneakers, tennis shoes, running shoes, whatever- here is the important challenge. Look at the bottom of your shoes. If the tread is obviously worn smooth in any part, it’s time for NEW shoes. My mantra is “yes, new shoes … Read more