CU Anschutz In The News

Iain R. Konigsberg, PhD, a research instructor of biomedical informatics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, tells SELF that if you have a high polygenic risk score for a disease, then it’s extra-important for you to lean into lifestyle choices that support your well-being and address the risk factors associated with that condition. Some research shows that when people know their polygenic risk, particularly when they have a high score for a specific condition, it motivates them to make daily choices that prioritize their physical and mental health (like not smoking, having regular checkups and screenings, eating heart-healthy foods, and exercising).

Sometimes, before it’s obvious that you’re sick with the flu (or some other illness), you can be pretty contagious, Daniel Pastula, MD, MHS, a professor of infectious diseases, epidemiology, and neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, tells SELF. Those early warning signs are your body telling you it’s time to rest up so your immune system can work more efficiently. If you pick up on those clues quickly enough, you could potentially start treatment sooner and recover faster.

From stressful small talk to deep discussions, the conversations that go down at holiday soirees can feel particularly intense; not to mention they can act as a reminder that maybe you’re not exactly where you’d like to be at this stage in your life—or that you moved away from home for a reason. “It’s normal to feel like a broken record when you’re sharing the things you decide to disclose to family or friends,” Mandy Doria, MS, a licensed professional counselor and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, tells SELF.

In general, your body functions at its best when you stick to a consistent schedule, and any change to your circadian rhythm can throw things off and cause somewhat of a ripple effect. 

Elizabeth Carlton, PhD, MPH, an epidemiologist and associate professor in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health at the Colorado School of Public Health, says it’s certainly possible we’ll see a winter wave of not just an uptick in COVID infections, but also in hospitalizations and deaths.