When I started lifting weights, I was always told that “you cannot overtrain your muscles” or “you can’t work out the same muscle group everyday” When I heard about this I, like many others, thought it was true but had no idea why. I guess it made sense to me that your muscles need time to recover and that you need rest before your muscles are back at full strength but, looking at some of these bodybuilders, I thought to myself, “there is no way these enormous men do not workout their arms every day.” So about a year ago I stumbled upon a few Youtube videos made by a former bench press champion, <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHiKDa4ip_Q“>C.T Fletcher</a>. Although C.T has a loud, vulgar way of saying it, lets just say he disagrees with this whole “overtraining” malarkey.

Works Cited: 

http://experiencelife.com/article/overtraining-myths-facts-and-fantasies/

http://douglasernstblog.com/2013/08/03/ct-fletcher-is-correct-over-training-is-a-myth/

The United States is still one of few countries that continue to enforce the law of “no drinking until you are 21.” Right about now, all the seniors’ in High School are shaking their heads in disapproval. But honestly, why is this? I understand that the United States is trying to prevent younger audiences from participating in such debauchery, but wouldn’t there be benefits of lowering the drinking age?

When I think about the age “18,” I think about the privilege of being allowed to vote. If someone is old enough to legally change the way a country operates, don’t you think it would be alright for them to grab a quick beer at the bar afterwards? Along with being able to buy tobacco products, driving, and voting, turning 18, in a lot of ways, symbolizes becoming an adult. My parents always told me that when you are an adult you can make your own decisions, but I guess that was not entirely true.

 A lot of times, because kids are not allowed to drink, it makes them want to do it even more. This can lead to kids drinking in unsafe environments and developing unsafe drinking habits. According to the <a href=”http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/underage-drinking.htm“>Center for Disease Control and Prevention</a> people between the age of 12 and 20 consume 11% of all alcohol drank in the United States already. If kids were taught proper, safe drinking habits, this number would be undoubtedly lower. If the drinking age were to be lowered to 18, kids could learn how to drink in regulated environments and learn the safest way to handle themselves when doing so. In my opinion, binge drinking on weekends would be greatly reduced, as would the nasty habit of drinking and driving. If kids were exposed to this privilege at a younger age, it would give them the experience they need to learn how to develop safe drinking habits. Safer drinking habits means less underage citations and happier parents.Binge drinking is also the fifth leading reason for <a href=”hospital visits“>http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/drunken-teenage-revelers-fifth-leading-emergency-room-visits-city-public-hospitals-article-1.1085829</a> among underage teens. If teens were taught how to practice safer drinking habits at a younger age, hospital visits would decrease as would the number of fatalities associated with binge drinking.

Not only would this <a href=”http://drinkingage.procon.org/“>lower drinking age</a> incur benefits for the kids, but would also benefit the United States economy. With more people in general allowed to go to bars, beer distributors, and liquor stores, an entire new demographic would appear for the owners of these establishments. They would increase profits greatly and could really have the chance to thrive in their respected markets. The tax dollars generated from this new audience could also be used to better the United States in a number of ways. For example, the government could fund more programs to teach kids the dangers of alcohol use. A good idea would be to have every 18-year-old attend a mandatory alcohol abuse class funded by the tax dollars generated by the new law. This class could inform, teach, and even frighten kids about the dangers they could encounter when partying too hard. It would cut down drinking and driving dramatically and save many lives in the process. 

The most important reason why the drinking age should be lowered to 18 years old, is because it has proven itself to work in other countries. For example, Germany’s drinking age is <a href=”http://www.cognac.com/15-reasons-why-drinking-age-should-be-18/“>16 for beer and wine and 18 for liquor and other spirits</a>. To many people’s surprise, the number of drinking and driving fatalities in Germany is significantly less than the number in the United States. An alternative method of enforcing drinking and driving laws if the drinking age were to be lowered to 18, would be to have a “no tolerance” law for drinking and driving. This means that even if you have .01 blood alcohol content, you are over the legal limit to drink and drive. This “no tolerance” law would certainly make people think twice before drinking and driving. 

Works Cited: 

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/underage-drinking.htm

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/drunken-teenage-revelers-fifth-leading-emergency-room-visits-city-public-hospitals-article-1.1085829

http://drinkingage.procon.org/

http://www.cognac.com/15-reasons-why-drinking-age-should-be-18/

The whole world knows at this point that <a href=”http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/08/16/why-were-so-fat-whats-behind-the-latest-obesity-rates“>obesity in the United States</a> is a huge problem. Fast food places are thriving, gym memberships are going unused, and physical activity in general is basically non-existent. I get that our country has been labeled as “fat” but I just did not understand how we got to this point of near disaster. This curiosity allowed me to stumble upon some interesting reasons why it wouldn’t hurt Americans to occasionally mix in a salad.

One of the catalysts of this problem are the many Americans who have extremely low incomes every year. This completely limits their abilities to obtain a healthy lifestyle. For starters, healthy food has become extremely expensive to afford. Lower class Americans have to resort to eating cheap fast food because they cannot support their families and, at the same time, make sure they maintain a healthy diet.

Yet another reason why obesity is at an all time high is because Americans are very insecure about their weight and those who are not overweight, are very judgmental towards others who are. Although some Americans are able to afford gym memberships and expensive exercise equipment, they are not willing to use it if they are not in a completely comfortable environment. For example, a man could have purchased a fancy gym membership at the local LA Fitness but never attend because he is afraid of the way people will perceive him as he is working out. No one wants to be seen as the “fat guy” at the gym. It is a shame that Americans are so harsh when dealing with anything concerning looks. A man or woman who puts their inhibition behind them and takes the leap of faith to workout at a gym, should be rewarded with compliments rather than being glared at like an outcast.

Lower education levels is also a contributing factor to the obesity problem in the United States. People simply are not informed enough to realize what they are actually putting into their bodies. If people were more aware of the harm they were doing to themselves, the epidemic would decrease drastically. Schools should consider adding a mandatory health class to the curriculum for kids from years k-12 that stress the importance of eating healthy. Although this may cost a little extra, the lives saved and the knowledge gained would certainly be worth it.

<a href=”http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/solving-common-obesity-problems-early.html#b“>17% of 6-19 year-olds are obese in the United States</a>. This is an absolutely alarming statistic. Almost one out of every five Americas between the ages 6 and 19 years old are obese. There are many easy ways to lose that extra, unwanted poundage. First off, keep track of the foods you eat every day. If the amount of calories, carbohydrates, fats, etc. consumed surpass the suggested amount for your body weight, it is clearly time to cut back on the junk food. Do not go on crash diets or starve yourself because this will decrease your metabolism in the long run. The weight that you would lose from your crash diet would eventually come back, along with some more. A high metabolism is key to losing weight. The higher the rate that your body can burn off the calories you consume and turn those calories into fuel, the easier it will be to lose the weight. Another way is too just start walking. If you normally drive everywhere or take public transportation, consider walking to your desired endpoints. Simply moving increases your metabolism, which should be the focal point of those who desire to lose weight.

I feel like if people are made more aware of the solutions to losing weight, the United States’ obesity epidemic could be a thing of the past. If less people are obese, that means that average lifespans could increase, sports would be more competitive, and maybe even being healthy would begin to become a “cool” thing.

Works Cited: 

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/solving-common-obesity-problems-early.html#b

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/08/16/why-were-so-fat-whats-behind-the-latest-obesity-rates

Over Thanksgiving break, I have been sleeping for almost 12 hours a night. I have actually done more sleeping than anything else. The universally “accepted” hours of sleep for proper function the next day is known to be 8 hours. I’ve noticed that when I sleep for more than 8 hours a night, I tend to be sluggish and unmotivated the next day. I’ve also noticed that when I sleep for 8 hours in any given night I tend to feel exactly the same, sluggish and unmotivated. But, the crazy thing is, I feel more awake and focused when I get less than 8 hours of sleep. Either I am programmed differently than everyone else in this world or this magic number of “8 hours” cannot be correct. This made me extremely curious about the subject so I tried to dig a little bit deeper.

According to the <a href=”http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/howsleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need“>National Sleep Foundation</a> the number of hours of sleep necessary for someone can vary. Various factors including, exercising, eating habits, and sleep consistency can all affect the amount of hours necessary for someone to sleep. This number of hours that an individual needs to sleep per night is completely variable depending on any number of these factors. This chart posted by the <a href=”http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/how-muchsleep-do-we-really-need“>National Sleep Foundation</a> shows the estimated amount of sleep time necessary separated by age group. So it looks like this 8 hours of sleep per night “mumbo jumbo” has come to be known as a thing of the past.

If one’s sleep schedule can be variable, do we actually require sleep? Can we survive without sleeping if our body says “keep going?” I personally think that if we accepted tiredness as a state of mind rather than a necessity, we could sleep for shorter hours of time per night and could be way more productive as a society. Imagine the feats we could accomplish if we, as a world, cut down the amount hours of sleep per night by 5 hours. Those five hours could be used to think, generate ideas, and innovate society. It could incidentally, propel us into the future of technology.

Now, when I express the idea of decreasing the amount of sleep per night by 5 hours I am being completely hypothetical. Sleep is essential for brain function during the day along with several other key functions of living. The good thing about sleep, is that you can always make up for lost sleep. According to <a href=”http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm“>many studies concerning sleep and brain function</a>, if you struggle with sleeping during the week, sleeping more on the weekends can reenergize your brain allowing you to have more brain capacity come Monday morning. And more brain-power on Mondays, equals happy college students.

In short, yes we do need to sleep to live. It is a basic human function. <a href=”http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-long-can-humans-stay“>The Scientific American</a> claims that any given human being can live without sleep for around 8-10 days. But, eyesight would suffer and hallucinations would begin to occur. So yes, technically we cannot go on without sleeping at least a little bit each night. But my theory is that if everyone decreased the number of hours they sleep per night by just a little, we could accomplish many things.

Works Cited: 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-long-can-humans-stay

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/how-sleep-works/how-muchsleep-do-we-really-need

Dreams can be so puzzling sometimes. Why do we dream? Why are the dreams we have so vivid sometimes, and other times so fuzzy? It is extremely mind-twisting to think about. One theory explained by <a href=”http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/p/dream-theories.htm“>Ernest Hoffman, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Newton Wellesley Hospital in Boston, Mass</a> suggests that dreams occur to help us cope with trauma in the future or prepare us for an out of the ordinary situation. Basically, he is saying that dreams are a way to prepare us for things that happen every day in our lives. This is an extremely interesting theory to me. I, personally, have had several dreams that I remember so vividly because I end up experiencing a situation similar to the dream in reality. So, could dreams possibly be the reasons we experience the sensation called “D�j� vu” as well?

This theory that Ernest Hoffman has created sounds like a pretty reasonable explanation of the purpose of dreams. Dreams aren’t meant to confuse you or scare you (for example Nightmares), but are actually a way of preparation. Kind of like a teacher would prepare you for a big exam, dreams prepare you for the obstacles you could/will have in the future. Everyone knows that feeling of waking up helplessly from a dream, sweating and exceedingly scared. Without experiencing that feeling of helplessness as a result of a dream, would we be able to cope with deaths in the family, nasty relationship breakups or even the feeling of getting into a terrible car accident? I believe that dreams serve a positive purpose in the course of our entire lives although, at the moment, they can be frightening or puzzling.

On the other hand, I think that the dreams that we experience that give us an overwhelming feeling of happiness or enlightenment can prepare us for the good things that happen in the course of our lives. For example, I am sure every guy out there has had many dreams/fantasies about meeting a smoking hot girl. If we didn’t have that dream to give us the feeling of arousal, would we be able to deal with the situation in a calm fashion if it were to happen in real life? Or would we freeze up and become suddenly overwhelmed because we have never had that experience before? Dreams can be interpreted as a test run for real life scenarios. Everything that we desire, fear, and question can be tested in what seems like an actual situation, but actually is a figment of our imaginations.

All in all, dreams are still an incredibly vague feeling that I do not think will be properly explained in the near future. Dreams play a huge part in the development of personalities and I, for one, am thankful that I have them. Hopefully one day a detailed explanation can be given as to why they occur. Who knows, maybe dreams can give a realistic point of view of how our lives are predetermined by an outside force. Although that theory may be a bit of a stretch, it is not completely out of the question. We will never know the true meaning of dreams until they are rigorously tested and multiple hypotheses are made.

Works Cited: 

http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/p/dream-theories.htm

Men, have you noticed that you have developed a “belly” after enrolling in college? If you have not already figured it out, it most likely is what people refer to as a “beer belly.” These beer bellies are extremely common in men who drink heavily and frequently. Contrary to popular belief, beer bellies are not just as a result of drinking the calories from the alcoholic beverage, but also from the greasy food that your body craves after drinking the alcohol. For example, everyone tends to get the post <a href=”http://rebelhealth.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-does-alcohol-make-you-hungry.html“>midnight munchies</a> after a long night of drinking and let’s be honest, you are definitely not going to sit down to a healthy meal, but rather engorge your face in crunchy gordida supremes at Taco Bell. Alcohol actually drastically raises insulin levels in your body, sending the message “I need a greasy, hardy meal” to your brain. As a result of the increase of insulin levels, blood sugar levels drastically decrease as well, causing the hunger. Alcohol completely dehydrates your body. It can cause you to pee frequently throughout any given night which will decrease <a href=”http://paleohacks.com/questions/172391/why-do-i-get-so-fcking-hungry-when-i-drink-booze.html#axzz2mLHVn9zN“> sodium levels </a>. So, the salty food that you crave (and usually devour) is an attempt by your body to replenish sodium levels. After sodium levels are somewhat replenished by the salty foods, a deep sleep usually follows.

So now we know that the calories from the food we consume while drinking is a contributing factor to the beer belly. The question still stands though, why does the fat for men tend to accumulate in the belly area? Men, most of the time, store the majority of their fat in their midsections. According to WebMD, <a href=”http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-beer-and-your-belly“> “Because men have less subcutaneous fat, they store more in their bellies.”</a>. Women on the other hand, tend to store their fat in other places around the body like the butt and thighs (which I might add is equally unattractive). The sad truth is that this accumulation of fat around the midsection is not going to get any easier to keep away. The older you get, the more likely your body is to store fat in the waistline area. Beer bellies will continue to be a likely “girl repellent” for years to come unless you can figure out a way to minimize the damage.

I actually believe it is extremely possible to avoid getting a beer belly. For starters, try to exercise at least 5 times a week. This will speed up your metabolism enough so your body has a chance to burn off the many calories associated with alcoholic drinks. Also, try to cut back on the drunk eating because you are most likely not going to remember eating it anyway. Try leaving an apple, or any other healthy alternative, on your bed before you go out. This will remind you to choose your snacks wisely when returning from a night of partying.

Beer bellies can be avoided. So please, men, do not lose hope. 

Works Cited:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-beer-and-your-belly

http://paleohacks.com/questions/172391/why-do-i-get-so-fcking-hungry-when-i-drink-booze.html#axzz2mLHVn9zN

http://rebelhealth.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-does-alcohol-make-you-hungry.html

The “Knuckleball” has been confusing hitters ever since it was created by Toad Ramsey who played for the Chicago White Sox in 1908. What makes this pitch so mysterious to hitters is that it is virtually spin-less and its movements are completely sporadic. Hitters have accepted the fact that it is extremely hard to hit, but why? The secret in the knuckleball lies in its grip. The most famous knuckleballer playing in the Major Leagues right now is R.A Dickey. He uses his finger nails to grip the ball and his pinky and pointer finger to stabilize the pitch as it leaves his hands. This gives the ball almost no full rotational spin when it is released. When throwing a knuckleball it is important not to overthrow it. Most pitchers are successful when they use all their energy and put it into their fastball, allowing it to be as fast as possible. When throwing knuckleball, it is all about body control. It is key not to overthrow the knuckleball or it could end up in the first row of stands. Dickey claims that if he is balanced and uses his proper throwing mechanics, the ball usually stays around the strike zone. So if anyone plans on taking up baseball, following a couple of these steps may allow you to become a knuckleballer. Feel free to look deeper into the science of the knuckleball by reading this article about pitcher R.A Dickey! http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/physics/anatomy-of-a-knuckleball#slide-3

Scientists at Oregon Health and Science University have discovered a way to rid the body of an aids causing virus. Currently the vaccine is being tested on primates and all participants were cleared of the virus after the vaccination was complete. The vaccination has a way to stimulate T-cell growth and allow the cells to grow back if the body were to be infected. Monkeys are step one, humans are the next stop. If scientists were able to make this vaccination work on humans, it may be the biggest medical discovery ever! Imagine if we were able to cure the world of aids? Productivity and health would be at an all time high! If this does work, I think the first step is giving the vaccine to the many suffering people in Africa. People could be cured and lives could be saved. Africa could be an extremely productive part of the world! The continent has many untapped natural resources, and if the citizens were healthy, education would be at an all time high. Along with many other countries plagued by the terrible disease, Africa would be a completely different place. I, for one, will continue to keep an eye on this story and see if we can successfully transfer the vaccine from primates to humans. If you would like to read the article check it out at this website! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130911141746.htm

Baseball has been a huge part of my life since I was a little kid. I played from when I was 4 to when I was a senior in high school. I was offered to play at some pretty good baseball schools but I opted to go to Penn State and not play. Since then, I have missed the sport like crazy. Today I decided that I am going to try out for the Penn State Club team and see how it goes. Relearning the footwork, bat speed, arm strength, and catching ability will certainly not be easy. I am planning on putting in some hard work and hopefully I can get back to the playing level I was at the peek of my career. Tryouts are tomorrow and I am pretty excited. So I thought I would share this with everyone and maybe inspire some people to pursue a goal you had for a long time and forgot about. 

Looking at the syllabus sheet, a few topics jumped out at me that we are planned to study. One of those topics was obesity. So I decided to try to find some more information about the topic. When doing this I came across an article about how insulin may become obsolete after a break through in the science community. The article discusses how tests have been conducted on rats that have insulin deficiencies. Instead of using the regular dosages of insulin, scientists gave the rodents a hormone called “Leptin.” This hormone can be used to regulate body fat and appetite. In this particular study, the rodents were given a dose of Leptin and were able to survive their insulin deficiencies.  This could end up being a huge discovery! If Leptin could be used to treat human insulin deficiencies then insulin shots would not be necessary any longer. That means that the millions of people in the world suffering from diabetes every year could end up treating their deficiency in a much safer and convenient way. Although a lot of work has to be done until this treatment can be available for humans, it is definitely a glimpse of hope for many people. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130903123358.htm