It’s that time of the year where everyone is stressing.  The first thing me and many of the other ladies and even the guys are going to do after this hell of a final stretch is go shopping! Many people say “when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping” and that’s absolutely true for some people.  Although retail therapy is a commonly used term, many people debate if it actually works.  I think that the excitement and happiness felt after shopping makes a person feel better.

For my last blog on the subject, I will be comparing the vegetarian lifestyle to that of a vegan or a meat eater.  Now although my own lifestyle as a vegetarian might add a biased tone to the blog, I will be using facts and science to support my claim.  

First off, many people do not understand the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan.  A vegan is someone who avoids all meats, poultry, fish, dairy, and any other animal based products in their diets.  However, a vegetarian, although still obtaining from eating any actual animals, eats eggs and all other dairy products.  

The main reason being a vegetarian is the most beneficial is because it offers the best of both worlds.  

The problem with being a vegan is not enough iron, calcium, and protein.  And the problem with eating meat is too much fat, cholesterol, and potential for animal related disease such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad-cow disease) and bird flu.  Although these diseases are not very common in the United States, non-vegetarians/vegans are at a higher risk of getting sick.  

Vegetarians have all the benefits that vegans had, and more.  They have diets consisting of foods rich in fiber, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, and antioxidants.  Unlike vegans however, vegetarians do not struggle to find foods rich in calcium, protein, and iron.  Because vegetarians eat dairy products they are able to receive the proper nutrition.  Through grains, lentils, and eggs.  Calcium is also easily obtained through milk and yogurt.  Those vegetarians concerned with their weight can opt to use low-fat versions of these products.  Through the addition of dairy products to their diets, vegetarians are able to attain all the additional nutrients meat eaters get from meat and fish, but they are also able to have a diet that is abundant in everything that vegans get from fruits and vegetables.

Another benefit of being a vegetarian is that they are able to maintain their body weight with more ease. Meat eaters, as discussed before, are 3 times more likely than vegetarians to be overweight.  This is because their fat intake is generally a lot higher.  Vegans on the other hand do not have enough opportunities to get fat.  Although too much fat is a bad thing, fat is necessary for the body.  According to Department of Health the maximum intake of fat should be 33%.  Fats are used to store energy, make tissues, obtain essential nutrients, and act as insulation.  

This study that observed 22,000 vegetarians, meat eaters, and vegans found that as adults grew older meat eaters put on the most weight, followed be vegetarians who put on less than meat eaters, and vegans who put on the least.  

Other than the health benefits, vegetarians have an easier time finding meals, while also avoiding a hormone based diet.  Unfortunately, for all three diets, the results depend on the person consuming.  Many vegetarians can be unhealthy because they eat too much junk as can vegans.  Many meat eaters can also be healthy if they eat in small portions and workout.  Regardless of the diet, the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle is through control, proper portions, and exercise.

In my previous blog I discussed all the health benefits of being a vegan.  They mostly included less fat and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and other fatal diseases.  However, those of your enjoy your meat don’t have to worry too much.  Because with a balanced diet, being a meat eater isn’t terrible.  

Being a vegan may not give the unnecessary amount of saturated fat, but it will also not give the protein and iron needed.  Proteins serve as enzymes and perform important tasks such as transporting oxygen, contracting muscles, and making up the outer layer of hair, nails and skin.  Unlike vegans, who have to consume 40-60 grams of nuts or beans to get enough protein, meat eaters can consume a small steak and still get the same results.  

Another advantage of being a meat eater is having a proper intake of iron.  Iron is important for the body because it helps cells carry oxygen to the lungs.  Iron also helps the muscles to store and use oxygen.  Iron deficiency or anemia can cause fatigue in people.  Anemia is becoming an increasingly serious problem between vegans and vegetarians.  Because of the lack of animal products in the diet, iron levels are low.  Most vegetarians are able to recuperate by taking enough dairy products; however vegans may have a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Along with the proper amount of B-12, iron, and protein in a meat eater’s body, they are also able to obtain enough calcium through dairies.  An additional benefit while comparing to a vegan diet is that usually proportions of meat tend to fill the stomach up more.  Also, many people who decide to spontaneously (or even with a well-thought out plan) switch to being vegan or vegetarian go through meat withdrawals.  Many people will at first try to replace these animal products they are used to with synthesized substitutes which sometimes can be bad for you.  

Unfortunately, in my research I was unable to find any other benefits of being a meat eater.  I have concluded that solely the health related disadvantages overshadow the health related benefits.  Although a vegan diet is perhaps more healthy than a meat eater lifestyle, other benefits such as the pure enjoyment of taste, and convenience of having food available regardless of where you are could justify why someone may choose this diet.

For my final blog relating to this subject I will be giving proof as to why being a vegetarian is the most beneficial 

One of my daily activities include wasting (while obviously thoroughly enjoying) unnecessary amounts of time on BuzzFeed.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the wonderful website, “BuzzFeed is a website that combines a technology platform for detecting viral content with an editorial selection process to provide a snapshot of “the viral web in real-time”” Upon my reading I stumbled upon an article sharing that on his 44th birthday rapper Jay-Z and his beautiful, flawless wife Beyonc� are going vegan for 22 days. This shocked me and made me wonder if being vegan, vegetarian, or a carnivore is the healthiest lifestyle. Personally I believe a vegetarian lifestyle is the most beneficial.  I will explain why I believe so through explanation of each diet, and the pros and cons of each one.

The first option to a diet is being a vegan. “A vegan is a vegetarian; a vegetarian who does not eat any food that is derived from any animal sources.”  This kind of diet excludes obviously all meats, including fish, eggs, and dairy products.  Some vegans will not even eat gelatin because it has fish ingredients.  Although, according to PETA, only 2.5% of people are vegan there are many health benefits that come along with this strict diet.

The most obvious health benefits for a vegan come from the lack of animal foods in a person’s diet.  Because vegans do not meat of any sort they avoid all the fat that comes along with each kind of meat.  The chart on this dieting website gives an approximation of the calories, protein, fat, and cholesterol that comes in 3.5 ounces of each type of meat.  Here’s a list of just the fat.

�         beef (top sirloin) – 21.06g

�         lamb (USA) – 14.42g

�         pork (cured,bacon) – 41.78g

This intense study done at Harvard, involving the tracking of food choices of 121,000 adults for about 28 years found that “people who ate three ounces of red meat every day were about 13 percent more likely to die–often from heart disease or cancer.” How exactly does eating meat lead to deadly diseases such as heart problems and cancer?  

The kinds of fats that come from eating meat are saturated fats.  When there is an increase of saturated fats in the body, there is also an increase in cholesterol.  The increase of cholesterol can potentially clog the heart’s arteries, stopping blood flow and possibly leading to a heart attack or heart disease.  An excess of fat can also lead to weight issues and obesity. According to PETA, vegans are 9 times less likely to be obese when compared to carnivores. Now it is not true that all vegans are skinny, however, being a vegan does increase your chances of a healthier body.  Another health risk that can be avoided while on a vegan diet is diabetes.  When diabetic it is recommended that the person’s diet consist of foods that are low in salt and saturated fat.  Saturated fats, which are also found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, raise “bad” cholesterol levels.  These increased levels are very dangerous for diabetics as it increases the already high chances of cardiovascular disease.  

A vegan diet also comes with a higher intake of antioxidant-rich foods and fiber.  Antioxidants defend our immune system against free substances, such as molecules taken in while breathing, that cause cellular damage.  Antioxidants are usually found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and occasionally meat .  Although that might interest many carnivores it is important to remember that eating meats also increases fat intake.  Fiber is also another dietary staple found commonly among the foods consumed by vegans.  The benefits of fiber include, but are not limited to :

�         normalization of bowel movements

�         low cholesterol levels 

�         control of blood sugar levels

In my next blog, I will discuss the benefits of being a carnivore.

As a female the worst part of the month is when Mother Nature comes to visit. (For the guys that are reading this and are already turned off, I advise you to continue reading.  I’m sure your girlfriends and just female friends in general will be impressed by how much you know and maybe you can even help them fix the problem I’m going to discuss) However, sometimes our visitor fails to come and we do not eat everything in our path, we don’t cry about everything little thing and we don’t lie on the floor for countless hours because of cramps that feel like rusty swords being turned in our stomachs. The first logical reasoning to explain why a period is late is obviously, pregnancy.  However, this is not the only explanation.  

To begin with, let’s talk about the basic biological mechanism of the menstruation cycle. The menstruation cycle usually occurs every 28 days in most women, although many women experience a longer or shorter cycle usually ranging from 21 to 35 days. The average age for a female to start getting her period is 12 in the United States and usually each period usually lasts 3 to 5 days.  

So if a female has been getting her period every month for at least 5 years now, why is it possible for her to skip a month?  Well the most common explanation is that she may be pregnant (if she is sexually active of course.) This is because if you are pregnant the lining of your womb becomes the incubator for the group of cells that may one day become a fetus, and that is why you don’t get your period.  A lot of times though being pregnant is not why your period has failed to arrive.  

Here are some common reasons as to why someone might have a late period.  The most common reason is stress.  When the body is stressed the amount of the hormone GnRH, which causes menstruation, decreases. Also, the body releases cortisol and adrenalin that prevents the release of fertility hormones, which in turn disrupts the menstrual cycle this is known as secondary amenorrhea.  Another cause of delayed periods is excessive and intense exercising.  When athletes or even just other females exercise a lot their metabolism levels change.  Exercising a lot can also effect body weight and cause your body to go into rescue mode.  When the body goes into rescue mode the body stops unnecessary functions such as the menstrual cycle.

Fortunately there are several different ways to induce a late period.  Most have to do with natural herb remedies and intakes of Vitamin C.  Relaxing by taking a bath or just doing yoga may also help release stress which will calm down the body.

In my previous blog, I described what a hookah pipe is, how it functions, why they’re becoming so popular, and the effect the tobacco used has on people.  In this blog I will continue to talk about water pipes but I will explain why they are bad for you, and as many people are unaware, the effects of smoking hookah can be worse and more detrimental than cigarettes.

A study done at the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma center, to test whether the health risks with hookah pipes were higher than those of cigarettes, “found that water-pipe smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking, nor is it likely to be an effective harm-reduction strategy.”  The experiment compared men and women who had smoked 11 cigarettes a day or 3 hookah pipe sessions.  The study “found that the participants inhaled acrylamide (linked with damage to the nervous system), acrolein (which can irritate the eye, throat and nose), benzene, carbon monoxide and naphthalene (which can damage red blood cells) when they smoked hookah. Levels of benzene byproduct were doubled and breath levels of carbon monoxide were more than doubled after the participants smoked hookah, compared with smoking cigarettes. Researchers did find that nicotine intake was lower among the hookah-smokers than the cigarette smokers.” 

Although the nicotine intake was lower in hookah smokers than in cigarette smokers, the other substances must be accounted for.  Most people who smoke hookah are between the ages of 18 and 24 and most cigarette smokers are between 22 and 44.  

Also, because hookah pipes allow low levels of nicotine to be inhaled, the amount of smoke taken in by smokers is far greater.  This can be dangerous because more smoke means that more toxins and chemicals, such are carbon monoxide are taken in. Another important difference between smoking cigarettes and smoking hookah pipes is that hookah pipes do not have filters, which does not help with all the extra metals and other toxins that are in the tobacco and pipe itself.

One of the biggest problems with hookah is how unaware people are of its negative side-effects and how easily they can fall into the trap.  Yes, it is true that hookah is a group activity and is something to easily socialize over.  However, this can be a major issue.  It is sometimes easy to forget how long you’ve been doing something if you’re enjoying yourself and in good company.  The longer time that is spent with a water pipe, the more puffs are inhaled.  An average hour long session with a water pipe is around 200 puffs, vs. the 20 puffs of a cigarette.  In this hour, it is approximated as an intake of smoke measuring “90,000 milliliters (ml), compared with 500-600 ml inhaled when smoking a cigarette”  The fruity flavors of the hookah also contribute to a distraction.  Because hookah doesn’t actually taste bad, as cigarettes are commonly known to,  it is possible that people feel more comfortable smoking hookah for longer periods of time.  In addition, because hookah is usually done in groups, there is a lot of passing around.  Although it is now common for many hookah bars to pass around plastic covers for the pipe, many places are a place for mouth germs to come crawling in.

It is not uncommon for many people to own hookah pipes, or to be smoking out on the college green on a nice day.  However, people must not forget that as enjoyable of an experience smoking hookah might be, the physical health effects are not something to be taken lightly.

Many college towns and various other places around the country and the world are now experiencing the new trend of smoking hookah.  Commonly known as Shisha in Arabic and South Asian countries, where it got it’s origin or as water pipes in America and Canada, this new form of getting “high” has become rather popular.  Even our own little State College has two hookah bars; Chronic Town and Chrome.  

What exactly causes people to be attracted to hookah?  Well first for those of you who are not completely aware of what a hookah is, here is a detailed description.  The vase is filled with water. Then the bowl is covered with, generally, a foil sheet. Next, little hot coals are placed on top of the foil, causing the tobacco in the bowl to heat up and smoke. Sucking through the hose draws heat on the tobacco and helps accelerate the heat transfer.

The smoke is drawn down through the down stem and underwater when you suck on the hose. The smoke rises above the water in the vase and into the opening. The smoke makes its way through the port and into the smoker’s mouth.

Ask any girl what her perfect guy would be like, and it is almost guaranteed that she will say someone with a good sense of humor, along with tall, dark and handsome.  Regardless of her “type” the typical girl enjoys being in the company of a man who can make her genuinely laugh.  

Still don’t believe me? Okay, how about this?  According to Men’s Health “survey of more than 1,000 American women ages 21 to 54, 77 percent of women ranked a sense of humor as their number one must-have in a man, beating out intelligence, passion, confidence, and generosity.”  

So what actually causes this desire to constantly be entertained? I did some research and can fill you in with this blog.

Psychologist, Kristofor McCarty, who decided to study why women enjoy funny men said “A quick browse of lonely hearts ads will confirm that women look for a good sense of humor in a potential partner – our research may explain why this is the case”.  His conclusions came from a research in which he asked women to rate “lonely hearts” based on how intelligent they believed these men were.  The men with comical remarks and jokes were rated as more intelligent by the women

The catch is however, women aren’t easy…well some women aren’t.  The study showed that women appreciated men that made intelligent jokes and utilized regular conversation to make comical situations.  For example, McCarty tested his jokes that were read by the “lonely heart” candidates on women from the ages of 18 to 30.  Here is an example of one that women found humorous: “ “I was standing in a mental illness ward the other day when I heard a doctor speaking to a new nurse on the ward. He was really giving her a telling-off, and his parting words were, ‘And remember, when it’s busy, don’t go around saying it’s a madhouse,’ ” and this is an example of the opposite “ “I was out skiing last year when I ended up slipping all the way down the mountain.”

A study by Stanford University School of Medicine in America observed the brains of young boys and girls and through MRI scanning and questioning found that the girls responded more strongly to funny videos when compared to the boys reactions.  Perhaps this is why it is more important for females to have funny men than it is for men to have funny women. 

So what are the psychological reasons why women actually find comfort in funny men?  There are a number of possibilities.  Humor usually allows people to release stress.  So a common reason for women to appreciate humorous men is that they enjoy being free of the daily stresses in life and just need someone to be the entertainment.  Also, when a man can take a situation and instantly think of something clever and witty to say, it displays speed and creativity.  Both of these are features of intelligence in a man which to women implies strength and security.

Out of my own curiosity, I decided to create my own survey to get some insight and see how some females that I know feel about humor in a man.  My results found that out of the 25 females that responded, 88% required that a good sense of humor be a top 5 characteristic of the man they want to date.