The professor says the knowledge of healthy living stays with students who complete the course.
By Sasha D. Robinson
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
KINE 1304, Personal/Community Health, focuses on empowering various populations with the ability to practice healthy living, promote healthy lifestyles and enhance individual well-being, kinesiology Professor Andreia Breaux said in an interview.
The college bulletin describes the course as providing an introduction to the fundamentals, concepts, strategies, applications and contemporary trends related to understanding personal and/or community health issues.
Breaux will teach one online section in the spring. She said this class is designed to empower students to make wise choices with their personal health.
“A lot of people do not realize being a couch potato is terrible risk factor for heart disease, being overweight, obese and all sorts of cancers — just being a couch potato,” she said.
Breaux said the class is about the science of lifestyles and how to take care of one’s body.
She also explained that it helps people gain control of their own health as well as their loved ones’ health.
Students are particularly surprised when they learn about deceptive marketing practices such as the Sauna Suit that would help people to burn weight without basic exercise.
According to Stew Smith in “Weight Loss Myths” on military.com, the suit helps burn water weight but people will gain it back as soon they start to eat and rehydrate.
“We are an instant gratification society,” Breaux said. “I hate to say it, but we are. With those commercials, what really attracts you, if it says you can lose five pounds in three days, you will be on it because you believe. We want to believe.”
Breaux said students particularly are surprised when they learn about deceptive marketing practices.
Breaux received a master’s degree in exercise science from Texas State University in 1996 and has 36 post-graduate hours in community health.
“Anyone who knows me will confirm that I practice what I preach when it comes to the topic of regular physical fitness and health nutritional practice,” she said. “Knowing and avoiding the risk factors that cause heart disease, cancer, infectious and other chronic diseases is the greatest empowerment to live a healthier life with vitality.”
Breaux goes over topics such personal sexuality; alcohol and tobacco use, misuse and abuse; protection from injury and violence and victimization that is not taught in high school health classes.
Kinesiology sophomore Kenneth Greenwood said he is taking the class because it is required for his degree plan. He plans to become a physical therapist.
“I need to know healthier living styles and things like that when I get into my career,” he said.
The class can also help students who want to make a change.
“It is not like algebra class. You take the class and you forget when you walk out the door. This information stays with you,” Breaux said.
The class stresses the importance of healthy living and the knowledge of how to do so.
“Just understanding the basic science of nutrition coupled with the recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association,” she said. “Quality of exercise empowers an individual to make healthier behavioral choices.”
This course has been offered since January 2001 with the only prerequisites basic math and writing.
The course is transferable to some universities with a kinesiology degree plan.