Dear Campers, 

Do you do any of the following at camp?

• Kiss
• Share finger food
• Bite your nails
• Sleep out in the cold
• Employ “damage-control” wellness tactics? (Chugging E-mergency and killer tea when you have a fever is damage control.)
• Sleep fewer than 7 hours per night
• ...or even touch common objects?

We all want to be “Radiantly healthy in mind, body, and spirit!” (in the words of staffer Gayatri Janine), but as campers arrive from “all over tarnation” after riding transit systems and un-school buses, and staying in hostels with friends, and getting little sleep... keeping our community radiant can take a little effort. As we travel, we get exposed to cold and flu germs that can rear their ugly little heads when we create our close, fast-paced camp community. Yep, those pesky little germs end up just about anywhere campers are: in the kitchen, in cabins, in our cuddle puddles. Even one germ-ey person in the camp kitchen can give germs a prominent chance to make people at camp feel yucky and sleepy.   

The Good News is...

Our past efforts to keep germs out of the kitchen have made a difference in keeping camp energy up! Thank you to those of you at former sessions who were proactive on the health front: those of you who left the dinner line to wash your hands, who steered clear of the kitchen when you were feeling icky, who sanitized table tops and door knobs! Let's keep at it! 

In addition to these past efforts, I put a lot of forethought last year into my camp wellness, and I left a West Coast session totally healthy (for the first time)! And, it wasn't really more work, just better planning on my part. I implored the military planning adage of the seven P’s: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.” I had a mean wellness-plan, which you can read at the end of this email.

So,tell us what you do to stay radiant at camp! Create and send us your brilliant Radiance Plan, and we'll share your ideas as "radiant gems" throughout the session, as a reminder to the community of how we can participate and stay radiant and healthy, all session long! 

xo,

Brittney

When creating your radiance plan, you might consider adding/subtracting/editing the following items to suit your camper-style:

An ounce of prevention:

• I carry hand sanitizer and use it, especially after using public transportation, handling cash, and before eating when soap and water aren’t available. (Brittney's favorite hand sanitizer is an alcohol-based EO spray: around $4-8 at CVS, Safeway, Amazon.com, healthfood stores, etc. It doesn’t feel gooey and comes unscented, or in lavender, peppermint, and more!)
• I shower every night because nasty little viruses can survive hours or even days on surfaces or my skin.
• I GO CRAZY with frequent hand-washing because it is the single most important thing I can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness (like the common cold or influenza, or hepatitis A, E. coli 0157:H7, or even typhoid). Each time I wash my hands, I think of it as though I am giving all of camp a hug and wishing everyone there radiant health. The common cold is most commonly spread via objects or hands contaminated by infected nasal secretions (eww). It is transmitted when I touch my hand to a contaminated object then touch my nose or eyes. I know that scientists discovered that cold viruses are often left on TV remotes, pencils, door handles, and places that are frequently not really cleaned by cleaning crews. (National Public Radio’s show “Fresh Air.” http://www.wbur.org/npr/129829134 In an interview where Terry Gross talks with Jennifer Ackerman's about her book, Ah-Choo! The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold).
• I practice super-effective handwashing I use soap, water, and friction between fingers, around wrists, on the backs of hands and under nails when I wash my hands, because, according to the MN department of health, soap suspends dirt and soils, friction helps pull dirt and oily soils free from the skin, and warm, running water will wash away suspended dirt and soils that trap germs. The final friction of wiping hands removes even more germs.  
• I sneeze into my elbow or a tissue to avoid spreading microbes to anyone or anything nearby.
• I get seven-plus hours of sleep per night to decrease my risk of getting a cold. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7823599.stm
• I plan in advance and remain cool and collected. Since traveling can be stressful, and continuous stress makes me statistically more susceptible to getting a cold,* I am kind to myself and laugh when things don’t go as planned, I have solutions and learning experiences rather than problems. I review my camp checklists to not forget anything, and have an emergency plan that includes important phone numbers, just in case something unexpected should happen. *National Public Radio’s show “Fresh Air.” http://www.wbur.org/npr/129829134 In an interview where Terry Gross talks with Jennifer Ackerman's about her book, Ah-Choo! The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold)
• I stay warm and dry when it’s cold, because a study in Britain demonstrates that being chilled lets suppressed cold viruses in the nose become active. I will keep my feet, body, neck, and head dry and warm. When I am cold, I grab my hat or sit by the fireplace drinking tea. http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/headline_health/6_free_ways_cold_free/2010/10/01/354070_3.html
• I support my immune system with nutrition Healthy foods, probiotics, antioxidants, supplements, pH balance, are things I consume to stay health and support my immune system. UT Medical Center.

• I exercise everyday. US researchers report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that when we exercise at least five times a week, we have much fewer colds per season and display symptoms significantly milder when we do catch the bug.
• I stay well-hydrated. Staying hydrated keeps mucous membranes soft and moist, preventing tiny cracks that allow viruses and bacteria to enter (according to UT Medical Center.)
• I keep my hands away from my face to prevent cold and flu germs from entering my system.
• I use serving spoons or forks, instead of my fingers, to put food on my plate to prevent contaminating camp food.  
• If I get sick or feel like I am, I will: nap, avoid kissing people, avoid doing food prep, get extra sleep, sleep inside, check in with Mama Bear, and participate in mellow activities like slumber parties.

Brittney’s Camp Wellness Recipe:

A first defense: I know that germs can incubate for days before cold or flu symptoms appear, so before camp, I treat myself as though I have already been exposed to some nasty little virus, and I don’t want it having any chance of survival at camp. Then I maintain a luxe routine once I am AT camp, to ensure long-lasting wellness. 

• I create time for stress-free travel. Traveling and preparation can be stressful, especially on top of work and school, or when, like me, you just hate to pack and procrastinate. Under continuous stress, I am statistically more susceptible to getting a cold, and probably more likely to be impatient and forgetful, so I start packing like WEEKS in advance. I toss things in my suitcase like frisbees, cameras, swimsuits, workshop supplies, directions, travel items like my travel case with my extra toothbrush & toothpaste so they’re all in one place, and I don’t have to worry about grabbing these last minute. I also create a checklist to make sure I don’t forget stuff like tickets, confirmation numbers, underwear, etc. I start with the list in the camper handbook, and add items from there to a custom list. I create lists online, like at http://www.independenttraveler.com/packing/ or http://upl.codeq.info/. I have a plan A and plan B for getting to and from camp. I order extra multivitamins and make sure I have a good supply. The point is...I do as little as possible last-minute, so I can sneak in extra sleep before traveling.).
• I start taking a daily Wellness Formula capsule -- it’s like killer tea on steroids, in pill-form, and I want to support my immune system. I also take daily multi-vitamins.
• I prevent germs I come in contact with from entering my system by washing my hands frequently throughout the day, even if not for any particular reason, avoiding my usual nail-biting and face-touching, keeping my shoes away from pillow, and showering when I arrive in Eugene or at camp to wash away travel grime because viruses can survive hours or even days on surfaces or my skin. I also carry (and use) my favorite hand-sanitizer! (alcohol-based EO spray: around $4-8 at CVS, Safeway, Amazon.com, healthfood stores, etc. It doesn’t feel gooey and comes unscented, or in lavender, peppermint, and more!)
• I drink healthy, bottled smoothies on the go to keep hunger at bay and wait for real meals with real, satisfying  and immune-supporting nutritional value (and keep trail mix on hand to prevent from getting super-hungry). I try to limit sugar intake and use sugar-substitutes like agave and stevia when traveling because the hippies and probably Ghandi say “sugar is bad."
• I drink extra water when flying, since cabin air is low humidity and drying and I want to stay hydrated.

Sustainability at camp:

• I make bedtime a pampering ritual to be enjoyed at the end of a long day, well-spent. Getting more than seven hours of sleep per night decreases my risk of getting a cold. I am usually in bed by 11:00 PM at camp, and up by about 7:30 AM.
• I welcome firelight, starlight, candlelight, and moonlight at night and avoid bright, artificial light because it suppresses the release of natural melatonin hormones which promote sleepiness.
• If I am really stimulated, I drink a sleepy, chamomile tea and take artificial melatonin (1/2 tablet of the kind from Trader Joe’s  250 mcg)
• I start heading for the shower at 10 PM each night (some nights I get there quicker than others) with my hot water bottle filled up from the kitchen (if it’s a cold night). The hot water bottle goes at the bottom of my sleeping bag. It keeps my feet warm and helps me fall asleep. The shower kills viruses that can survive on my skin for hours or even days and also helps me get warm and cozy before bed. (If it’s really cold that night, I might avoid wetting my hair.) I shower in my flip flops to avoid walking around on cold, wet or dirty surfaces before I crawl into my snug sleeping bag. Before crawling in bed, I also take my vitamins (they're in a little M-F case from CVS) and apply lip balm (to prevent my lips from chapping).
• I ensure a good night's sleep by having an adequately warm (rated 30 degree) sleeping bag with a cozy hot water-bottle at my feet and ear plugs and an eye mask nearby (in case my room-ies are loud or the cabin gets bright). ...ZzZzZzZz.
• If I start to feel under the weather: I nap, do what my body says, avoid food prep, avoid cuddling, get extra sleep, take extra Wellness Formula capsules, sleep alone in a quiet tent or cabin, have someone else get my food from the dinner line.

©2012 Not Back to School Camp
Illustrations by Tilke Elkins. Web Design by Blake Boles.