Wednesday, April 24, 2013
VoiceThread Millais Painting
Works Cited:
"John Everett Millais Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://www.biography.com/people/john-everett-millais-9408242>.
"Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery." - Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://www.bmagic.org.uk/people/John Everett Millais>.
"Olga's Gallery." Sir John Everett Millais -. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://www.abcgallery.com/M/millais/millais.html>.
"Copyrights© Helena Wojtczak." British Women's Emancipation since the Renaissance. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://www.historyofwomen.org/>.
"HerStoria." HerStoria Womens Access to Higher Education An Overview 18601948 Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://herstoria.com/?p=535>.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The Key to the Enjoyment of Food and Life
"New Releases." Why Stress Causes People to Overeat. Harvard Health Publications, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. <http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2012/February/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat>
1. Tarkin , L. (2011). Sleep Deprivation: The Surprising Causes and Solutions. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-48440287/sleep-deprivation-the-surprising-causes-and-solutions/
2. Van den Bulck, J. (2007). Adolescent Use of Mobile Phones for Calling and for Sending Text Messages After Lights Out: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study with a One-Year Follow-Up. Sleep, 30 (9), 1220–1223. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1978406/
3. Gardner, Amanda. “Too Little Sleep May Fuel Insulin Resistance .” CNN Health . Health.com, 10-16-12. Web. 03-19-13. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/15/health/sleep-insulin-resistance>.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
NeuroDrink: What They Don't Tell You
Walking through the cafeteria during lunch at my old high school, there was an abundance of energy and relaxation drinks on every single table, with students chugging them hoping to make it through the rest of the day or do well on their test next period. Everyone rushed to the vending machines to be able to purchase the best flavor, or most effective drink in their opinion. But one day, a friend decided to read the label on the back of the drink she had purchased. What she found was not comforting; rather, she came to the realization that she understood none of the ingredients on the back of the bottle and honestly did not know what was in the drink at all. The drink she held in her hand was called NeuroDrink. NeuroDrink is a recently popular relaxation drink that makes bold claims. With names such as NeuroSleep, NeuroTrim, NeuroBliss, or NeuroSport, the effects of the drink are self-explained in their title. But the drinks may not be all that they are made out to be. NeuroDrink heavily affects neurotransmitters in the body in order to achieve the effect on the body that is needed. While some argue that affecting neurotransmitters can not harm one’s body, an overwhelming amount of research shows that the amounts or types of neurotransmitters in these drinks, such as melatonin, can be detrimental to a person. In relaxation drinks such as NeuroDrink, there are many amino acids and neurotransmitters used in a way that is not helpful to its consumers. Instead of backing up its claims, NeuroDrink has the potential to hurt you as a consumer if too much of the compounds are ingested and with no substantial research done on the product, long and short term risks are completely unknown.
In order to understand why NeuroDrink is potentially harmful, some terms must be explained though, starting with the most important: neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are a very important part of everyone’s body. They are found in the brain, which is why many are so nervous to affect them with outside sources, such as relaxation drinks. Neurotransmitters are used to send signals from the brain to another cell, while passing through a synapse. In layman’s terms, it means that information is communicated from the brain to our entire body. If our neurotransmitters are not working correctly, we would not be able to function properly. Our body would not be able to control stress, feel pain, and even emotions would not be normal. Too much or too little of a certain neurotransmitter can be a huge problem, and adding these to our bodies without a doctor’s permission could be dangerous.
Melatonin, the active ingredient in NeuroSleep, is often used as a clinical sleep aid by doctors and sleep clinics. With this being said, Melatonin is considered a drug, and should typically only be prescribed by doctors. But with a drink like NeuroSleep, unknown amounts of melatonin are used without any regard or warning to the effects that come with it. Side effects of melatonin include sleepiness, dizziness, irritability, or headache. There are many serious safety precautions surrounding the ingredient also. Melatonin is possibly unsafe in pregnancy, should not be used when breastfeeding, and can cause problems with ovulation, although this fact is not stated on the NeuroDrink package. Melatonin can raise blood pressure, increase blood sugar in people with diabetes, and even make the symptoms of depression worse. All of these side effects can affect a great portion of the population, since the number of individuals suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes is on the rise. Children especially should be careful while drinking the cool, new energy drink, since experts say that increased levels of melatonin can be harmful to young ones. With all of the adverse side effects, some being incredibly serious, it is hard to believe that putting an ingredient like melatonin in a marketed drink with no warning label is safe or even ethical. There are many other neurotransmitters besides melatonin used in the brand NeuroDrink, with many adverse effects to accompany them. As consumers, we need to be aware of these facts, and without FDA approval or information on the product, we are left in the dark.
Another concern for consumers is the ambiguity of the drink itself, from its components to the effects it might have. The Food and Drug Administration is vital for obtaining this information. But after reading many articles about NeuroDrink, there is a general consensus that it is not FDA approved. What does this mean for consumers? Essentially, it means that the makers of this product have the ability to put whatever they want in our drinks, without any person regulating what or how much goes into them. The ingredients are not tested to make sure that they are safe for consumption. Without knowing how much of a neurotransmitter is contained in the drink, it is also impossible to know how many drinks can be consumed before it is harmful to our bodies. Short term effects can be harmful and unknown to consumers at this point. News stories have surfaced about mixing these drinks with alcohol, which led to death. Drinking NeuroDrink while pregnant has also been a concern raised in the news, as both doctors and consumers have no idea what effect can be had on the baby or mother. Short term effects are not the only concern though, as long term effects must be thought about. Without long term testing of a product, we do not have any idea about what it can possibly do to our bodies
Many things need to be done in order to keep consumers safer, healthier, and aware of what they are putting into their bodies. The first and most obvious is that further testing needs to be done on the product. Without testing, there is no telling what the side effects may be and how our bodies will be affected in both the long term and short term. NeuroDrink should also go through the process to be FDA approved, even if it means altering the composition of their product. But unfortunately, these two solutions will take time and immediate results are not realistic. In the meantime, short term solutions can be found for this product. First, because of the increased risks for children to ingest these drinks, a viable solution is that one must be over 13 to purchase them. Warning labels should be put on all drinks, especially to warn pregnant mothers, diabetics, people who suffer from depression and high blood pressure, and children of the possible harm of the drinks. These solutions will not fully fix and eliminate all adverse effects of the drink, but hopefully will reduce the risks and inform the consumers of what they are buying. NeuroDrink does not give much hope in it’s product. From research, it actually makes me a little more skeptical than anything. With so many questions, uncertainties, and debates about the product, I don’t have a lot of comfort while consuming it. Until the NeuroDrink company can provide tests and approvals from the FDA, I will not be a consumer. My health and future are more important to me than trying to get an extra hour of sleep or feel more energized while working out. There are many other natural solutions that can be used for our everyday problems. Until the day that answers are given for NeuroDrink, I will stick to my nightly tea and Gatorade.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Who Needs Sleep?
Staying awake for seventeen hours can decrease performance as much as a blood alcohol-level of 0.05%. The average college student sleeps less than six hours per night, and studies show that 20% pull all-nighters once a month. Students who attend class after an all-nighter might as well show up drunk. Sleep seemingly appears last on college students’ “to-do lists”; friends, parties, consistent Internet perusing, classes, work, and exercise all take precedence. While most college students believe they can get away with sleeping six hours or less, professionals recommend at least eight hours of sleep to avoid restricted scholastic performance and a slowed metabolism.A recent study on sleep deprivation found that approximately 60% of college students are sleep deprived. However, sleep deprivation is such a precarious term: how many hours of lost sleep are actually needed to put our bodies in a “deprived” state? Ying-Hui Fu and her colleagues, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco, have recently identified a genetic mutation in which people were observed to have short sleep cycles, and therefore needed only six hours of sleep. Unfortunately, this gene is expected to occur in only 3% of people. Those with normal, 90-min sleep cycles require much more than the six hours those with the rare mutation are found to need. In two similar studies, one performed by David Dinges (University of Pennsylvania) and the other by Dinges’ colleague Gregory Belenky (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research) sleepiness measures were tested by PVT (psychomotor vigilance task) to determine how much sleep is actually needed. Dinges’ study assigned subjects to sleep four, six, or eight hours, while Belenky‘s subjects to three, five, seven, and nine hours. When the two studies were compared, the best response to PVT was found in those sleeping eight hours a night. Well, those sleeping nine hours showed similar results to those sleeping eight hours, but let’s be real: who has time for that? Therefore, the conclusion is clear that in order to think clearly and perform our best, sleeping eight hours a night is extremely important!
Now that it is established that getting eight hours of sleep is necessary, let’s talk about the effects of sleep deprivation. While the average college student portrays a slight feeling of invincibility, thinking that your body is able to overcome everything you put it through is simply the result of a tired mind making uneducated decisions. According to a St. Lawrence University study, GPA is has a direct correlation to sleep. After studying the sleep patterns of 111 students, Pamela Thatcher, associate professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University, found that students who frequently pulled all-nighters had an average GPA of 2.9, while those who had never pulled an all-nighter had an average GPA of 3.1.
Before further explaining how sleep has so much of an effect on GPA, it may be necessary to understand what sleep is, how it works, and its many stages. Sleep is a state in which the brain is either resting or very active, filled with a complex series of stages that repeat themselves throughout a night’s sleep. Sleep is characterized by two distinct states: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. A normal cycle of sleep lasts approximately 90 minutes and is depicted by five stages, each defined by specific electrical patterns in the brain and changes of muscle activity, breathing and eye movements. The figure below shows the cyclical pattern of the stages throughout one night of sleep.
Going back to sleep and GPA correlation, research performed by Born, Rasch, and Gais (University of Lubeck) identified sleep as a “state that optimizes the consolidation of newly acquired information in memory.” Therefore, staying up all night to cram for a test will not give your brain the time to process the information. Hippocampus-dependent memories (memories associated with an emotion) take root in the brain simply with slow-wave sleep, while memories independent of the hippocampus (boring schoolwork) require high longer amounts of REM sleep. Since slow-wave sleep makes up a majority of each sleep cycle while REM sleep only takes up about 20%, it is imperative that one sleeps the required eight hours per night to attain multiple REM cycles and to continue having REM sleep. When threatened by sleep deprivation, the brain tends to opt towards lighter sleep (less REM sleep). In addition, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that when asleep, memory is shifted to “more efficient storage regions within the brain.” Therefore, when awake, it takes less effort to remember all of the studied exam material. So, in order to make recall come easily during a test, sleeping eight hours is essential.
How many of you are concerned with gaining the “Freshman 15?” In recent studies, it has been proven that how much we sleep affects “blood sugar levels, hormones that control appetite, and even the brain’s perception of high-calorie foods.” By sleeping less, college students are essentially ridding their brain of the ability to decipher when they are actually hungry. In addition, the Annals of Internal Medicine recently published a study stating “sleep deprivation impairs the ability of fat cells to respond to insulin, the hormone that regulates metabolism.” In this study, seven healthy men and women were restricted to 4.5 hours of sleep per night. After four nights of sleep deprivation, blood tests exposed that “their fat cells’ sensitivity to insulin dropped by 30%.” According to the senior author of the study, Matthew Brady, this is the “equivalent of metabolically aging someone 10 to 20 years.” While it is not likely that college students will be getting only 4.5 hours of sleep on a consistent basis, any slight reduction of sleep from the recommended eight hours will reduce the body’s ability to process insulin, thus reducing their metabolism. Regardless, who of us wants to reduce our metabolism at all by doing something that we could easily prevent?
Because of the many distractions in college, getting eight hours of sleep may be a lot easier said than done. But it is also a lot easier to prevent a habit from forming than it is to try to break a habit. Before leaving for college, becoming educated on the importance of adequate sleep and even learning tips on how to insure making sleep a priority. First, learn how to manage your time wisely; keep an on-going to-do list and use that to identify what is most important and how much time should be spent on it. Second, try to space out work over a few days. There are very few classes in college that meet two days in a row. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that you will be given an assignment that is due the next day! As soon as you receive an assignment, whether it’s due in two days or two months, put it on your to-do list. Figure out how much time it will take you to complete it and begin working on it immediately. Third, don’t procrastinate! Whenever you sit down to do work, FOCUS. Turn off your phone and minimize distractions on your computer. Don’t, however, work for more than a few hours straight. Your brain cannot physically adequately focus for than an hour at a time. Instead, work diligently for 30 minutes and take a 5-10 minute break. By giving your brain time to relax, you will free up a lot of leisure time by allowing it to maintain focus whenever you are actually working!Sleep deprivation is hard to reverse because it often comes about as a “catch 22.” As school continues to place new avenues and different categories of stress on students, there is a tendency to stay up later, attempting to work hard throughout the night. By staying up late, whether working or hanging out with friends, college students are burning the candle at both ends and not allowing their bodies to function properly. Not getting eight hours of sleep is extremely detrimental to the health and school performance of students. To circumvent the habit of sleep deprivation from beginning, don’t buy into the scam that less sleep is acceptable. Plan ahead and don’t put your body in a position to show you what happens when you don’t get the sleep you need. Not doing so does not result in anything positive for you, your brain, or your body!
The Federal Government Must Regulate the Food Industry
The American consumer environment changes constantly. New flavors and products surprise the palate which makes fighting those oncoming cravings and preventing excessive weight gain a struggle. Food choices multiply incessantly, and the food industry’s offerings that create an unhealthy consumer environment transform people’s eating habits. We blame the food industry for its contributions to the American obesity epidemic because the food industry negatively affects consumers’ dietary decisions, therefore affecting their quality of life. Strategies the government must take to alter America’s obesogenic environment and promote healthy eating habits include educating consumers; limiting sodium, sugars, and fats; and restricting marketing to children.First, understanding what an “obesogenic” environment entails is important. An obesogenic environment ensues from distinctive societal characteristics such as surroundings, opportunities, or conditions of life that influenced obesity in individuals or populations.1 The consumer lifestyle of America includes: eating fast food that contains excessive sugars and fats; lacking portion control; and having an unbalanced diet. The current consumer lifestyle inadvertently influences obesity. The fast food industry contributes to America’s obesogenic environment by dramatically influencing consumer decisions.
Taste, quality, convenience, and price of food motivate consumer purchasing decisions. One would assume that an obesity epidemic would scare consumers into concerning themselves with the nutritional value and/or quality of food. However, with the nation’s economic instability, most adult consumers were left looking for less expensive food options. Consumers over the age of 18 began working through lunch and grabbing “lunch on-the-go,” consisting of fast food or packaged, processed food that can be found in a vending machine. Fast food receives a notorious reputation for providing cheap meals; therefore, in an effort to save money, consumers turn to less healthy food options such as McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell. When price and convenience become the primary concerns of consumers, the quality of food becomes inconsequential. Fresh produce is expensive, and maintaining its freshness becomes difficult with large quantities. The fast food industry can offer low prices because its food is mass-produced, frozen, and fried. Fast food contains excessive levels of sodium, sugars, and fats that lead to weight gain. The food industry does not abide by proper portion control for a 2,000 calorie diet, which directly impacts the consumer’s unbalanced diet and leads to weight gain.
Considering the oversized portions, excessive levels of sugar, sodium, and fat found in fast food products that lead to the addictive taste, the government must take control by enforcing regulations that place limits on acceptable portions. Some states have already done so successfully. For example, New York City Board of Health banned the sale of beverages larger than 16-oz in restaurants. According to Forbes, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg said that this ban would reduce obesity because it would, “act as a tool to help people better understand how much sugar they consume.” Placing a ban on 16-oz beverages would not restrict consumers freedoms, “We’re not taking away anybody’s right to do things, we’re simply forcing you to understand that you have to make the conscious decision to go from one cup to another cup,” said Bloomberg. The federal government should follow Bloomberg’s pioneering decision to place a restriction on portion size.
The government needs to set limitations on the acceptable amounts of sodium and fat because people may not realize what they consume. Despite their claims about health interests, monetary goals motivate the food industry because it is only interested in maximizing profits. The food industry bombards media outlets with advertisements for highly caloric food product in the interest of making money. Healthy menu options can also be misleading. For example, the Premium Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken from McDonalds contains 740 mg of sodium and 18g of fat. The amount of sodium in one McDonalds salad represents one-third of a persons recommended daily sodium intake. A federal ban on distorted marketing that targets children is necessary in order to combat the current obesogenic environment that stimulates unnatural cravings.In addition to consumer decisions, the increasingly inactive consumer lifestyle contributes to the obesogenic environment. Technology has become ever present in our society, and it has transformed the way people watch television by introducing new, seemingly flawless technology, which permits almost effortless accessibility, and enables video streaming to virtually any device. The ability to easily obtain television shows impacts the number of people who watch them, contributing to the sedentary American population. Over half of the US adult population is sedentary, and one-fourth do not engage in physical activity. An inactive consumer lifestyle contributes to obesity because people consume more than they burn off. Also contributing to America’s sedentary population is societal fear of the outdoors. People who watch the news or listen to the radio hear crime reports that depict dark cities lurking with danger around every corner. The result of such a fearful outlook causes less leisure time spent outside, less walking and a decrease in physical activity, which makes government involvement even more important.
To address this health concern, the government needs to educate the public about the benefits of exercise and physical activity as well as ensure public safety. Doctor Thomas N. Robinson of the American Medical Association reports that, “Reducing television, videotape, and video game use may be a promising, population-based approach to prevent [obesity].”4 Collective utilization of federal, state and local organizations is necessary for promoting an active lifestyle in adolescents and adults. Dietary responsibility should not lay on our shoulders alone. The government should look out for our best interests and regulate the food industry’s nutritional value and marketing ploys.
Footnotes:
1.Townshend, Tim, and Amelia Lake. “Obesogenic Environments: Exploring the Built and Food Environments.”Perspectives in Public Health 126.6 (2006): 262–267. SAGE Journals. Web. 02-12-13. <http://rsh.sagepub.com/content/126/6/262.short>.
2. Sharma, Lisa L, Stephen P Teret, and Kelly D Brownell. “The Food Industry and Self-Regulation: Standards to Promote Success and to Avoid Public Health Failures.” American Journal of Public Health 100.2 (2010): 240–246. The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Web. 02-10-13. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804645/>.
3. Robinson TN. Reducing Children's Television Viewing to Prevent Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA.1999;282(16):1561-1567. doi:10.1001/jama.282.16.1561.
4. Robinson TN, Borzekowski DG, Matheson DM, Kraemer HC. Effects of Fast Food Branding on Young Children's Taste Preferences. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.2007;161(8):792-797. doi:10.1001/archpedi.161.8.792.
5. Don’t mention the “F” word. (2004).Nature , 428(6980), 239. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v428/n6980/full/428239a.html
6. Ludwig DS, Nestle M. Can the Food Industry Play a Constructive Role in the Obesity Epidemic?.
1.Townshend, Tim, and Amelia Lake. “Obesogenic Environments: Exploring the Built and Food Environments.”Perspectives in Public Health 126.6 (2006): 262–267. SAGE Journals. Web. 02-12-13. <http://rsh.sagepub.com/content/126/6/262.short>.
2. Sharma, Lisa L, Stephen P Teret, and Kelly D Brownell. “The Food Industry and Self-Regulation: Standards to Promote Success and to Avoid Public Health Failures.” American Journal of Public Health 100.2 (2010): 240–246. The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Web. 02-10-13. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804645/>.
3. Robinson TN. Reducing Children's Television Viewing to Prevent Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA.1999;282(16):1561-1567. doi:10.1001/jama.282.16.1561.
4. Robinson TN, Borzekowski DG, Matheson DM, Kraemer HC. Effects of Fast Food Branding on Young Children's Taste Preferences. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.2007;161(8):792-797. doi:10.1001/archpedi.161.8.792.
5. Don’t mention the “F” word. (2004).Nature , 428(6980), 239. Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v428/n6980/full/428239a.html
6. Ludwig DS, Nestle M. Can the Food Industry Play a Constructive Role in the Obesity Epidemic?.
Caffeine and Alcohol
Americans love caffeine. We impatiently wait for Starbucks to begin a delivery service and Coca-Cola remains the world’s largest drink company. However, we ask for disaster when mixing this addictive drug and alcohol. College challenges our lives almost entirely. Drinking becomes acceptable and it may seem that everyone participates. While every alcoholic drink poses danger, those dangers increase exponentially when we add caffeine. To maintain a healthy, social lifestyle, young adults must increase their awareness of these drinks’ effects. Studies have proven that drinks containing alcohol and caffeine
detrimentally affect the consumer’s health.
When drinking an alcoholic drink that contains caffeine, people are much more likely to partake in dangerous activities and do things they would normally stop themselves from doing. According to Dr. Steven Lipshultz, this is due to the distortion of their perceptions of limitations. Caffeine can almost be viewed as an adrenaline rush. It speeds up your heartbeat and causes jitteriness in your entire body. These effects occur because caffeine is a stimulant. On the other end of the spectrum, alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol slows the brain’s ability to function properly, and this means slurred speech, wobbly walking, and unclear thinking.
Rather than cancelling out the effects of the alcohol, the caffeine makes the body disregard the drowsiness that comes along with being intoxicated. Fatigue is the body’s natural way of telling someone that they have had too much to drink. When the caffeine masks this perception, a person continues to drink and ignores the body’s signals to stop. People stop feeling drunk, but at the same time they feel very awake and energized. This combination leads to dangerous and often uncharacteristic actions. Not only does the caffeine enhance the effects of the alcohol, but it also enhances the addictiveness of it. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and caffeine causes people to lose water. This will cause a much worse hangover because the body’s water content is so low.
Another factor that comes into play when talking about caffeinated, alcoholic beverages is the size. A normal can of beer is twelve ounces, but a normal sized Four Loko is twenty-four ounces. Although it is only twice as large, drinking one Four Loko in an hour has the same effect as drinking a six pack of beer in an hour. It gets you much drunker, much faster. Also, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, it makes you more alert so therefore you keep drinking. There are no good outcomes of mixing these two types of addictive substances.
Scientists know the dangerous implications these drinks can have on the human mind and body, but they are not entirely sure how the body is processing the alcohol and caffeine when they are mixed together. Studies to find the answer to this question are much too dangerous to perform on humans due to the dangerous effects. The closest thing researches have conducted was to question college-aged students leaving a local bar. This research found that consumers of energy drinks mixed with alcohol were three times more likely to be intoxicated than those who only drank alcohol. They had a much higher BAC. BAC is a person’s blood alcohol content, or how much alcohol is in someone’s system. The consumers of alcoholic drinks mixed with caffeine were even more likely to feel that they could drive. Their lack of awareness of exactly how intoxicated they were came from the effects of the caffeine inhibiting the body’s natural drowsiness and fatigue. These patrons were more likely to engage in dangerous activities simply because they were not aware of their current state of mind.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to remedy the widespread use of caffeinated alcoholic drinks. This is an issue that needs to be faced as soon as possible, and the stricter the FDA is, the more they will be able to get accomplished. They have specifically targeted six companies, one of them being Phusion Projects, the producers of Four Loko. The FDA has mandated that these companies either remove the caffeine from their products or remove them from shelves. If the companies fail to comply, their products could be seized. As far as we know, all companies have agreed to remove the caffeine from their drinks. The FDA is taking these precautions due to a number of illnesses occurring in young people after consuming these beverages.
There have been numerous colleges, including Central Washington University, that have seen widespread sickness across their campuses due to alcohol poisoning. The primary drinks these students were consuming were ones like Four Loko that contained both alcohol and caffeine. Students have been hospitalized, and people should be aware that these drinks can
Along with alcohol poisoning, these drinks have been linked to fatal car accidents. People are more inclined to think they can drive after having these drinks. Groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving are advocating for the ban of these drinks. Four Loko made the news when a man drove through a red light, killing a man and his three sons. The man confessed to having mixed liquor with a Four Loko before driving that night. Stories like these are fueling the flame for opponents of these products.
Nothing good can come from mixing alcohol and caffeine. It may give you an enjoyable “buzz” for a while, but in the long run, it is only harmful. Not only can it harm the health of the consumer, but it has the possibility of harming those who just happen to come in contact with them. Try to convince the mother and wife of the victims mentioned in the previous paragraph that these drinks should remain on the market because they enhance your social life. It probably will not go over very well and with good reason.
Rather than cancelling out the effects of the alcohol, the caffeine makes the body disregard the drowsiness that comes along with being intoxicated. Fatigue is the body’s natural way of telling someone that they have had too much to drink. When the caffeine masks this perception, a person continues to drink and ignores the body’s signals to stop. People stop feeling drunk, but at the same time they feel very awake and energized. This combination leads to dangerous and often uncharacteristic actions. Not only does the caffeine enhance the effects of the alcohol, but it also enhances the addictiveness of it. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and caffeine causes people to lose water. This will cause a much worse hangover because the body’s water content is so low.
Another factor that comes into play when talking about caffeinated, alcoholic beverages is the size. A normal can of beer is twelve ounces, but a normal sized Four Loko is twenty-four ounces. Although it is only twice as large, drinking one Four Loko in an hour has the same effect as drinking a six pack of beer in an hour. It gets you much drunker, much faster. Also, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, it makes you more alert so therefore you keep drinking. There are no good outcomes of mixing these two types of addictive substances.
Scientists know the dangerous implications these drinks can have on the human mind and body, but they are not entirely sure how the body is processing the alcohol and caffeine when they are mixed together. Studies to find the answer to this question are much too dangerous to perform on humans due to the dangerous effects. The closest thing researches have conducted was to question college-aged students leaving a local bar. This research found that consumers of energy drinks mixed with alcohol were three times more likely to be intoxicated than those who only drank alcohol. They had a much higher BAC. BAC is a person’s blood alcohol content, or how much alcohol is in someone’s system. The consumers of alcoholic drinks mixed with caffeine were even more likely to feel that they could drive. Their lack of awareness of exactly how intoxicated they were came from the effects of the caffeine inhibiting the body’s natural drowsiness and fatigue. These patrons were more likely to engage in dangerous activities simply because they were not aware of their current state of mind.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has taken steps to remedy the widespread use of caffeinated alcoholic drinks. This is an issue that needs to be faced as soon as possible, and the stricter the FDA is, the more they will be able to get accomplished. They have specifically targeted six companies, one of them being Phusion Projects, the producers of Four Loko. The FDA has mandated that these companies either remove the caffeine from their products or remove them from shelves. If the companies fail to comply, their products could be seized. As far as we know, all companies have agreed to remove the caffeine from their drinks. The FDA is taking these precautions due to a number of illnesses occurring in young people after consuming these beverages.
There have been numerous colleges, including Central Washington University, that have seen widespread sickness across their campuses due to alcohol poisoning. The primary drinks these students were consuming were ones like Four Loko that contained both alcohol and caffeine. Students have been hospitalized, and people should be aware that these drinks can Along with alcohol poisoning, these drinks have been linked to fatal car accidents. People are more inclined to think they can drive after having these drinks. Groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving are advocating for the ban of these drinks. Four Loko made the news when a man drove through a red light, killing a man and his three sons. The man confessed to having mixed liquor with a Four Loko before driving that night. Stories like these are fueling the flame for opponents of these products.
Nothing good can come from mixing alcohol and caffeine. It may give you an enjoyable “buzz” for a while, but in the long run, it is only harmful. Not only can it harm the health of the consumer, but it has the possibility of harming those who just happen to come in contact with them. Try to convince the mother and wife of the victims mentioned in the previous paragraph that these drinks should remain on the market because they enhance your social life. It probably will not go over very well and with good reason.
Alcohol & Health
“Experts consider moderate drinking — about one drink a day for women, about two for men — a central component of a healthy lifestyle”. Exercise, fruits, vegetables, fresh air--alcohol never usually made the list. People typically portrayed alcohol as a detrimental guilty pleasure. However, research has surfaced that suggests moderate alcohol consumption can prevent certain diseases. Such research falls under much debate; therefore, educating oneself about alcohol’s health benefits can be difficult. Defining moderation and refraining from encouraging drinking for possible health benefits are critical components that lead to improved public health.
In addition to the ambiguity of the term “moderate,” when people delve further they will discover that the statement that moderate drinking can improve health is not necessarily a clear blanket statement regarding all alcohol. The driving evidence behind it revolves specifically around wine. For example, a study done by the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in France announced a component called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, showed improvement in the health of mice; “mice heavily dosed with resveratrol had energy-charged muscles and a reduced heart rate, just as trained athletes do, and manage to live longer [than mice without the resveratrol] even if they consume a poor diet”. Other studies found that “Alcohol reduce[s] coronary disease because it has been found to increase the “good” HDL cholesterol and have anti clotting effects”. These discoveries lead to articles about theories that alcohol can be beneficial, despite the scarcity of evidence and qualifications.The information has the potential to be taken out of context, as do any results released from new experimental data and subsequent theories. Readers must be wary of this.
The Mayo Clinic Staff, medical experts, claim, “Alcohol use is a slippery slope. Moderate drinking can offer some health benefits. But it's easy to drink too heavily, leading to serious health consequences.” They concur that if you don’t drink, you should not start drinking on the basis of improving health. There are possible benefits as shown in several studies, however, these benefits can only apply to a certain group of individuals. Not only are there inconclusive statements about how much alcohol to drink, and what kind, but also what kind of people it positively affects. They conclude that if you drink moderately and responsibly then it shouldn’t be detrimental to your health, but people shouldn’t start drinking on the sole basis of attempting to be healthier.
Some might be eager to place the blame for alcohol related problems (addiction, diseases caused by overconsumption, or harm to the consumer or bystander) on alcohol manufacturers that provide grants to research institutions publishing information supporting that alcohol can be healthy. However, Fisher, a writer for The New York Times, verifies that although evidence has been released about the consumption of wine improving health, the industry cannot promote this discovery due to regulation on advertising. Organizations such as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and the Wine Institute prevent alcohol producers from making certain health claims. He predicts that these new studies on the health benefits of alcohol may spark sales increases, but it will not be because of any promotion from the alcohol industry itself. The problems that often result from alcohol consumption could be more efficiently solved by acknowledging the negative consequences of over consumption of alcohol, and expanding on the possible unreliability of certain claims.
Most people are familiar with the unfortunate and devastating tragedies revolving around alcohol consumption getting out of hand, such as the death of innocent people or lives forever plagued with guilt and regret. But even if people are aware of the consequences that can result from drinking, some may think that they will not lose control and still hesitate abandoning the idea that the continuance or beginning of moderate alcohol consumption could be beneficial. The logical argument against this possible inclination is that there are so many confounding variables, which are variables extraneous to the variable being analyzed, that could affect the outcome. These variables mean that there will never be indisputable conclusions. Some of these confounding variables are diet, exercise level, genetics, wealth, and environment, which can heavily influence a person’s chance of disease like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. For example, someone who drinks moderately might also eat healthily and exercise daily; therefore it would be impossible to conclude whether their stronger hearts were a result of moderate alcohol consumption or of healthy diet and regular exercise. Similarly unclear, someone who doesn’t drink may have stopped due to health reasons in the first place, meaning that they were already susceptible to disease. No one should make life changes based on inconstant data.
Many people spend too much time honing in on one part of the US Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines, part of the federal nutrition policy, the statement in 1995 that “in moderation, alcohol can improve health”. One would think that a small announcement about a possible health benefit from a certain libation would not generate so much attention. I think that many people feel guilty about their alcohol consumption and jump at the idea of justification through scientific data. Ira Goldberg, professor of preventive medicine at Columbia University, goes as far as to say that people are using this as an excuse to drink more, and that it ends up being damaging to their health.“Moderation” can be widely interpreted, and Helen Pearson, a writer for Nature, explains that defining “moderate drinking” can be problematic because people often just assume that their current alcoholic consumption is “moderate”. As defined above, the general moderate drinking guideline is approximately one drink a day for women and two for men. One drink meaning 12 fluid ounces of beer, 5 fluid ounces of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces of distilled spirits.
In addition to the ambiguity of the term “moderate,” when people delve further they will discover that the statement that moderate drinking can improve health is not necessarily a clear blanket statement regarding all alcohol. The driving evidence behind it revolves specifically around wine. For example, a study done by the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in France announced a component called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, showed improvement in the health of mice; “mice heavily dosed with resveratrol had energy-charged muscles and a reduced heart rate, just as trained athletes do, and manage to live longer [than mice without the resveratrol] even if they consume a poor diet”. Other studies found that “Alcohol reduce[s] coronary disease because it has been found to increase the “good” HDL cholesterol and have anti clotting effects”. These discoveries lead to articles about theories that alcohol can be beneficial, despite the scarcity of evidence and qualifications.The information has the potential to be taken out of context, as do any results released from new experimental data and subsequent theories. Readers must be wary of this.The Mayo Clinic Staff, medical experts, claim, “Alcohol use is a slippery slope. Moderate drinking can offer some health benefits. But it's easy to drink too heavily, leading to serious health consequences.” They concur that if you don’t drink, you should not start drinking on the basis of improving health. There are possible benefits as shown in several studies, however, these benefits can only apply to a certain group of individuals. Not only are there inconclusive statements about how much alcohol to drink, and what kind, but also what kind of people it positively affects. They conclude that if you drink moderately and responsibly then it shouldn’t be detrimental to your health, but people shouldn’t start drinking on the sole basis of attempting to be healthier.
Some might be eager to place the blame for alcohol related problems (addiction, diseases caused by overconsumption, or harm to the consumer or bystander) on alcohol manufacturers that provide grants to research institutions publishing information supporting that alcohol can be healthy. However, Fisher, a writer for The New York Times, verifies that although evidence has been released about the consumption of wine improving health, the industry cannot promote this discovery due to regulation on advertising. Organizations such as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and the Wine Institute prevent alcohol producers from making certain health claims. He predicts that these new studies on the health benefits of alcohol may spark sales increases, but it will not be because of any promotion from the alcohol industry itself. The problems that often result from alcohol consumption could be more efficiently solved by acknowledging the negative consequences of over consumption of alcohol, and expanding on the possible unreliability of certain claims.
Most people are familiar with the unfortunate and devastating tragedies revolving around alcohol consumption getting out of hand, such as the death of innocent people or lives forever plagued with guilt and regret. But even if people are aware of the consequences that can result from drinking, some may think that they will not lose control and still hesitate abandoning the idea that the continuance or beginning of moderate alcohol consumption could be beneficial. The logical argument against this possible inclination is that there are so many confounding variables, which are variables extraneous to the variable being analyzed, that could affect the outcome. These variables mean that there will never be indisputable conclusions. Some of these confounding variables are diet, exercise level, genetics, wealth, and environment, which can heavily influence a person’s chance of disease like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. For example, someone who drinks moderately might also eat healthily and exercise daily; therefore it would be impossible to conclude whether their stronger hearts were a result of moderate alcohol consumption or of healthy diet and regular exercise. Similarly unclear, someone who doesn’t drink may have stopped due to health reasons in the first place, meaning that they were already susceptible to disease. No one should make life changes based on inconstant data.
As a college student, hearing anything about the benefits of alcohol must be taken lightly. It’s more important to understand moderation (including amount and frequency), and maintain awareness of one’s surroundings. After learning the bare minimum about possible health benefits of alcohol, instead of spending more time researching context and applicability, time should be spent analyzing one’s lifestyle and focusing on more substantial elements that are unquestionably beneficial.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Citations
We think it is important to let you know where we are getting our information. Not only because we want to avoid plagiarism, but also because we want you to engage in this discussion with us and be able to form your own opinions. It is essential that you know we are not making anything up and that our information is reliable and valid. Any thoughts that are not our own will be linked directly to the source or footnoted at the bottom of the post if it is not accessible online.
I’m sure you are all familiar with MLA formatting from your many papers and assignments from school. This will be a component on the blog but we are aiming to hyperlink as much as possible to make it easier for you. For those of you that are unfamiliar with hyperlinks, it is an efficient way to connect you to our sources. The hyperlinks are the highlighted words that, when clicked, will direct you to the source. We know citations can sometimes be distracting when reading, so we are going to simplify them to make our posts more fluent.
I’m sure you are all familiar with MLA formatting from your many papers and assignments from school. This will be a component on the blog but we are aiming to hyperlink as much as possible to make it easier for you. For those of you that are unfamiliar with hyperlinks, it is an efficient way to connect you to our sources. The hyperlinks are the highlighted words that, when clicked, will direct you to the source. We know citations can sometimes be distracting when reading, so we are going to simplify them to make our posts more fluent.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
All About Us
When you are the only one who doesn’t understand something, things can get awkward. Knowing how to navigate your way through college is essential to maintaining good grades and staying social. That’s why we are here. We want to get you through the good, the bad and the ugly that comes with the college experience. College doesn’t have to be a scary thing, but it can be if you aren’t prepared. As a group of undergraduate women at UNC who have been through many of the ups and downs thus far, we want to steer you in the right direction. There is so much that we wish people had told us before leaving home. We may not have every answer to every question, but we will figure them out right along with you! We want to help, because honestly, some guidance would have been useful. You will be faced with many new experiences, feelings, and decisions. College isn’t just a change in destination or friends; there will be biological changes, psychological changes, even environmental changes that you will need to be able to cope with. Join us as we try to survive this thing called college.
Hi! My name is Sarah Fritsch and I was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina and I am a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am so excited to be a part of the up-and-coming blog “ ”that features contemporary entries offering guidance and facts directed towards women new to the college scene! I love to analyze behavior and psychology, and I’m passionate about helping others. This is a fun, respected and factual blog where I, along with other women going through the college experience, will share our research and genuine advice on how to survive in the college world(which really is a world of its own)!
Hey! My name is Kaitlyn Boigner, an Ohio native relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. My heart will always be with the Cleveland Browns, but we won’t talk about their record. I could spend my time on the beach or in the mountains, doesn’t matter to me. I come from a large family of 6, so I know what crazy is and how to handle anything thrown my way. I have been exposed to a lot of different things, from skiing, to photography, to school itself! But most of all I have just started college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My goal is to help people, whether it be in their first day of school, how to adjust to new situations, or even just how to do a new hairstyle. Hopefully with this blog, we can help women just like us with their venture into the college world.
Hi friends! My name is Logan Cerwin and I am a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill. I am from Charlotte, NC and home is definitely where my heart is. I am a biology major, with the intentions of attending medical school in 2015, but I have to be honest when I say I spend more time training for triathlons than I do in class! When I first started the college seeking process, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted in a school. Turns out, not only did I not know what I wanted, but I didn’t even know what each college was like….or frankly what college was like, in general. I visited college after college, applied, enrolled, and hated it. So I transferred. The second time around, I realized there was so much about college that I wish someone had told me before I started. So that’s why I’m here to help! I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I hope you can too before you make them!
Hey! I am Annie Twisdale, a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I was born and raised in Henderson, North Carolina. I live my life on the shores of Kerr Lake. More importantly, I was born and raised a Tar Heel. The transition from high school to college can be one of the scariest times in a teenager’s life. There are so many unanswered questions, or answers to questions that don’t really ease our minds. I went through this time not too long ago, as did the other four authors of this blog. We are here to help. We are smart, independent young women who believe that every incoming college freshman should be worry free and ready to embrace her new life. This blog could have saved my life a year ago, but now we hope to save you some of the mistakes we made. This blog is the ultimate guide to a girl’s life in college. So, ask us questions, post your opinions, and discuss with us your fears. It won’t be much longer before you are facing them head on!
Hi! My name is Emma Massey, I am 19 year-old sophomore from Wilmington, NC that loves the beach and hanging with friends. I am studying Journalism and Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations at UNC. I went to NC State my freshman year, but I transfered because I love UNC and I wanted to be in the J-school. I love meeting new people and trying new things so transferring schools has been a great experience. I’ve already been through the college transition once, so I know a lot about what to expect when you are in a new environment. I like spending time outdoors, and I love the Tar Heels so you can find me at almost every football and basketball game. I am extremely interested in broadcast journalism and advertising so hopefully I can land a career in one of those areas in the future! I love surprises but there are a few unexpected turns that I found in college that I wasn’t prepared for so hopefully this blog will help you with your transition!
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