FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF NOV. 22, 1999:
My daughter, a freshman in college, just came home for her first visit. She has put on some pounds, which she attributes to stress and to dorm food. How do you recommend college students avoid weight gain in their new surroundings?
Your daughter is not alone in gaining weight during her freshman year, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho extension nutrition specialist. "They call it the Freshman 15, and there are both psychological and social reasons why it occurs."
Under the stress of moving to a new environment and meeting new people, many students derive comfort from food. Food is also the social glue of most college get-togethers, from pizza parties to meeting friends for coffee. Finally, many dormitory meal contracts allow unlimited servings.
"Many college students say they eat because the food is there–not because they are hungry," says Raidl. "Become aware of what and why you’re eating."
She advises students with meal contracts to examine the week’s menus in advance and decide what and how much they will eat, steering clear in the process of high-fat, high-caloric items.
"No matter how busy you get, don’t eliminate exercise from your routine," Raidl adds. "It’s a great stress releaser and a wonderful way to burn off calories."
We’re trying to trim our heating costs this winter. What types of window coverings are most effective in reducing heat loss?
You’re right to be concerned about heat loss through windows. While windows represent only 15-20 percent of the average home’s total floor area, they can contribute up to 50 percent of its heating load, according to the Idaho Department of Water Resources.
Complete with a vapor barrier, a window quilt that has been constructed of heavy satin on one side and cotton percale on the other rates an R-value of 14 in a double-glazed window. That same window, covered with a lined drapery, louvered shutter or venetian blind, rates only 3.1-3.4. Of intermediate value are insulated Roman shades, at 6.5.
Energy-efficient window treatments trap air between themselves and the windows they cover. For best effect, they must be sealed at the top, sides, center and bottom–and the more layers, the better.
In the winter, close the window treatments as soon as the sun goes down and on cloudy days. Open them on sunny days.
Once in a while, I find a spider in my bathtub. Are they crawling up from the drainpipe or are they falling or dropping in from the ceiling? Is there something I can do to prevent them from getting in there?
"Deny, deny, deny" them access, says Bob Stoltz, University of Idaho extension entomologist.
No, they’re not likely to be crawling up the sewer drain into your bathtub. Instead, they’re likely to be slipping in through your bathroom vents or where your pipes and light fixtures meet your walls, floor and ceiling. They end up in your bathtub entirely by mistake, then can’t crawl out because the sides are too slick.
The solution is diligent weatherization: that is to say, sealing any cracks and crevices that give them entry.
I’d like to increase the attractiveness of my garden to birds and other wildlife. What will draw them?
Citing information developed by the National Wildlife Federation, University of Idaho extension horticulturist Michael Colt lists the four basic elements of survival for backyard wildlife: food, water, cover and areas in which to raise their young.
In your landscape, include plants that provide pollen and nectar and that produce acorns, nuts, berries and other edible seeds. During the winter, supplement with a variety of foods in a variety of feeders and put the feeders in places where birds will feel safe.
Supply water for drinking and bathing in a birdbath, small pond, recirculating waterfall or shallow dish. Site the water source where birds can see predators coming. Replace the water regularly and keep birdbaths clean. In the winter, use a birdbath heater or knock off the ice and refill daily.
For cover, provide densely branched shrubs, hollow logs, rock piles, brush piles, stone walls or evergreens. The more different types, densities and heights of cover you supply, the more species of wildlife you can protect.
Some birds will use bird houses and nesting shelves to raise their young, while bats and squirrels will rear their offspring in boxes when appropriate trees aren’t available. Most wildlife are very cautious in their selection of nesting sites: be sure to match the critter to the dwelling.