Photo courtesy of lasleepdr.com

Snoring, I know I am guilty of it on occasion, but my dad on the other hand is a habitual snorer. His snoring reaches volumes that to me, are unbearable. Ok, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but still it’s pretty bad. My mom always complains about my dad’s snoring, saying that is sometimes disrupts her sleep. So, I wondered is my dad’s sleep disrupted at all because because of his snoring? Snoring can present a problem to anyone, but it mostly occurs in males and people who are overweight. Snoring results “when the flow of air through the mouth and nose is physically obstruct.”(Derrer) Obstruction can occur due to: nasal air ways, poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue, bulky throat tissue, or a long uvula.

Although snoring may not seem like it presents any real risk (after all it is just noisy breathing), there are many health issues that may be present. One main disorder that can arise from snoring is a sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is the halting of ones breath during sleep. A sleep apnea does not just lead to the stop of breathing, but: waking from sleep, light sleep, strain on the heart, reduced sleep, low oxygen in blood, headaches, obesity, and fatigue (Derrer). It is clear that excessive snoring can lead to disrupted sleep and some serious health issues that some may not even realize are in result to snoring. It is understandable why some may overlook the symptoms of sleep apnea because they are common symptoms for other disorders that may present themselves more obvious than snoring.

There are treatments for snoring, this includes changes in sleep positions, breathing tools, or if the issue is really causing a hardship, surgery (Hoffstein, p.2). If your snoring has reached the point of sleep apnea some form of treatment must be taken to avoid the risk of it getting out of hand.

Works Cited

Derrer MD, David T. (2014) Snoring Causes and Health Risks Associated With Snoring. Retrieved from www.webmd.com

Hoffstein, Victor (n.d). Snoring and Sleep. Retrieved from sleep foundation.org

Mayo Clinic Staff (2012) Sleep apnea (def.) Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org

Photo courtesy of www.bambootrading.com

I know every family has their own opinion on what cures an illness, in my case it is ginger ale. Every time me or my siblings complain of an upset stomach the first thing my mom gives us ginger ale. Does ginger ale really help or are we just telling ourselves that it is making a difference? It all relies on the ingredients, it is clear in the name that ginger is a main component of the drink. The form of ginger used does contribute to its effectiveness. According to an article on LIVESTRONG, “traditional ginger ales contained a significant portion of ginger– a known anti-emetic and alleviator of nausea– some modern brands use artificial ginger flavorings and sweeteners in place of the real herb.” (Connolly) So when going to ginger ale for relief it is best to make sure the ingredients are natural.

According to Clinical Correlations, ginger root has been used as a remedy for quite some time, “Greek physician Dioscorides praised ginger root because it “gently stimulates the gut and is profitable for the stomach”.” (Che) Ginger ale is a light soda that unlike other types of soda can help the body restore lost fluids more easily (Connolly). Ginger, and anti-emetic can lower the risk of vomiting, a common result of an upset stomach. This form of relief can have its drawbacks, because ginger ale is a carbonated drink means it is not the best for a gas-filled stomach. Ginger ale will only worsen the bloating.

It is safe to say that ginger ale can in fact help an upset stomach. Everybody’s body reacts and works differently so, ginger ale will not necessarily help all. Although a form of relief, the intake of ginger ale should be monitored. Ginger ale does contain sweeteners/sugars which is not a good choice for those that suffer from hyperglycemia, which is in result of high blood pressure. If there are any real concerns, the approval of a doctor can be  sought out.

Works Cited

Che MD, Chau (2009). Myths and Realities: Ginger Ale in Treating Nausea and Vomiting. Retrieved from www.clinicalcorrelation.org 

Connolly, Brian (2011). Does Ginger Ale Calm an Upset Stomach? Retrieved from www.livestrong.com

Mayo Clinic Staff (2012). Hyperglycemia in diabetes (def.) Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org

Photo courtesy of www.sodahead.com

My mom has always told me that if i wanted to drink soda it had to be light. When I asked why, she simply replied that it was better than drinking dark soda. I wondered how this could be if both drinks contained a good amount of sugar. Is lighter soda a healthier option as opposed to dark soda or should people steer clear from both?

When determining which is “healthier” it comes down to the contents of light and dark soda. What sets apart dark soda from light soda are the ingredients caffeine and phosphoric acid. Caffeine and phosphoric acid are the sources of several health concerns. According to LIVESTRONG, “caffeine can cause an increase in heart rate… phosphoric acid can be damaging and taxing on the kidneys, as reported from the University of Virginia Health System.” (Sundstrom) This article shines a bad light on dark soda, but keep in mind there are exceptions. Root Beer and Sunkist Grape Soda both dark drinks do not contain caffeine putting them on the same level as some lighter drinks. Lighter drinks as well have their exceptions with one of the ingredients in Mountain Dew being caffeine.

Now just because some light and dark sodas do not contain caffeine doesn’t mean that there are no health risk. Both drinks do contain sweetener so the best choice would be to choose a soda that is made with natural sugars. So, when it comes down to which is healthier, it all depends on the ingredients and “how much is too much?”(Editors of the Huffington Post Healthy Living), not the color of the drink. There are several factors that should be taken into consideration when drinking soda regarding ones health. Both light and dark soda can be harmful to those who have blood sugar and kidney issues (Sundstrom). The effects of caffeine and phosphoric acid as mentioned before can lead to: damage in the kidneys, diabetes, or hyperglycemia. After reading this research on the ingredients these drinks contain, I will just take a water.

Works Cited

Sundstrom, Kelly (2013). Which Is Healthier: Clear or Dark Soda? Retrieved from www.livestrong.com

The Editors of Huffington Post Healthy Living (2013). 8 Sugary Drink Myths, Busted. Retrieved from www.shape.com

I am pretty sure we can all agree that sleep is a very beautiful thing, but can getting too much sleep be bad for you? We do need a good night’s sleep in order to stay healthy, but how much is too much? The target amount of sleep differs for everybody, there are several factors that have to be taken into consideration: age, activity level, general health, and lifestyle habits (Ratini, p.1). Now we all have had to pull an all-nighter at some point during the school year and when we finally knock out, we tend to sleep a little longer than usual. When I looked deeper into this topic I found that oversleeping in some cases can lead to serious illnesses.

An article by CNN states that, “oversleeping can hurt your health.” (Kaplan) Oversleeping can increase the risk of getting diabetes, obesity, and headaches. A study posted on WebMD noted that, “people who slept for nine or 10 hours every night were 21% more likely to become obese over a six-year period that were people who slept between seven and eight hours.” (Ratini, p.2) One may think that there has to be more to obesity than just oversleeping, which is why this particular study took both diet and exercise into account. The result remained unchanged proving that too much sleep plays a major role in obesity. As far as the risk for diabetes and headaches, there are contributing outside variables that need to be taken into consideration. Diabetes can result from a persons diet or even their genes. Headaches on the other hand have many causes such as, not getting enough sleep or from hearing a loud noise, the list goes on.

Although is you are oversleeping, there is no need to jump to the quick assumption that you have a disorder or are suffering from and illness. Otherfactors that contribute to one oversleeping are alcohol, certain medications, or just the need for more sleep (Ratini, p.1). Occasional sleeping does not seem to pose much of a threat, but when excessive the opinion of a doctor may be needed to ensure there are no underlying issues present.

Picture courtesy deliveringhappiness.com

Works Cited

Kaplan, Jana (2013). Are you sleeping too much? Retrieved from www.cnn.com

Ratini, Melinda (2012) Oversleeping Side Effects: Is Too Much Sleep Harmful? Retrieved from www.webmd.com

Being in college, it is safe to say we have all had one of those weeks where we have an essay due, three exams, a quiz, and five worksheets due, there never seems to be enough time. When pulling an all-nighter, the main resource one uses to stay away is energy drinks. There are various brands of energy drinks such as Red Bull, Rockstar, and even Starbucks Expresso Shots, but they all claim the same thing; an increase in your energy. Pulling an all-nighter is extremely hard for me so, I have tried every energy drink out there to make it a bit easier. Have they worked for me personally? No, if anything I feel like I lose energy and become even more tired. Now is this the case for everyone or am I just immune to the super powers of energy drinks.

The contents of energy drinks typically include a great amount of caffeine, along with sugar and other ingredients. Great amounts of caffeine can cause, “nervousness, irritability, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, and increased blood pressure” (Zeratsky, 2012) The caffeine in energy drinks is supposed to increase ones stamina by blocking the tole of adenosine, which is the chemical in the brain that involves sleep. Although many of the drinks distributors claim they do in fact make you energized, most health experts would disagree. A study was conducted in Spain to test this specific theory. The researchers recruited a group of people to drink a ordinary energy drink and a placebo that had no caffeine. The experiment was blind so the participants didn’t know which drink they were getting. The study concluded that “a dose of 1mg of caffeine/kg of bodyweight did not display any significant effects on muscle performance” (Wortman, n.d.) Although when the dosage of caffeine was increased, there was a noticed difference.

Energy drinks can have an effect if they have the right amount of caffeine, which varies for everybody. A greater dosage of caffeine may make you more energized, but is not necessarily the healthiest route to take.

Photo courtesy of breakingmuscle.com

Works Cited

Watson, Stephanie (2006) How do energy drinks work? Retrieved from science.howstuffworks.com

Wortman, Joshua (n.d.) Science says: Energy Drinks Really Do Work. Retrieved from breaking muscle.com

Zeratsky, Katherine (2012) Can energy drinks really boost a person’s energy? Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org

Fangirling, as defined in the Urban Dictionary is “the reaction a fangirl has to any mention or sighting of the object of her affection” (Urban Dictionary, 2004). Symptoms of a typical “fangirl” include: shaking, loss of breathe, and possibly fainting. I will admit I have had my fangirl moments when in the presence of a Los Angeles Dodgers player. Now, I didn’t go as far as fainting, but I was a little lost for words. Fangirling for the most part is harmless, but in certain situations it has went as far as to cause mental and even physical pain. We live in a society where famous people are idolized whether they be a singer, actress/actor, or athlete. When in their presence some do not necessarily know how to handle themselves and get a little too extreme.

One situation occurred over a year ago, when Justin Bieber fans started the trend, #Cut4Bieber.” What my you ask would Justin Bieber fans want to cut themselves? This “trend” was meant to catch the Biebs attention to stop his bad behavior. Fans hoped that slitting their wrist would create a good amount of publicity to get Justin to realize just how much his fans cared and desperate for him to stop his reckless behavior. The fans went as far as to even post pictures of the cuts on their body which led to great outrage. Justin stayed out of the situation, but many other celebrities such as Miley Cyrus urged the fans to stop. Many felt that this was disrespectful to those who actually do suffer from suicidal thoughts, but can it be said that these fans suffer from mental disorders themselves? These fans feel like they are one with Justin and feel pain when he does. When heir idol begins to do questionable acts and is no longer the perfect role model, it took a tole on them.

Some fans do not in fact develop an obsession, which is considered a mental disorder. The celebrity is constantly occupying and intruding on the fans mind, leading them to throw out any good sense of judgement to please their idol. I am not saying that all fangirls suffer from a mental disorder, it all depends on the how much of a influence they let the fixation take on their life.

Photo courtesy of www.nydailynews.com

Works Cited

Monde, Chiderah (2013) Justin Bieber fans draw shock, outrage with gruesome ‘Cut4Bieber’ trending topic. Retrieved from www.nydailynews.com

Urban Dictioanry (2004) fangirling. Retrieved from www.urbandictionary.com

Have you ever had a weird dream or maybe even a really wonderful dream and wondered what it meant? Do our dreams even have a meaning or is it just random images that come to use when we are asleep? Sure there are some dreams that are that are in great detail and seem realistic. On the other hand, you can have dreams about a large snake popping out of a trash can, I don’t really see any significant meaning coming from that dream.

First, lets start off with why we dream. When sleeping are bodies may not be active, but that doesn’t mean our brains are. While asleep, “other parts of the brain responsible for memory and conscious thought try to interpret the signals in a way that makes sense, resulting in a dream” (Winter, 2014). It goes without a doubt that all researchers concluded that dreams incorporate some elements of our personal lives. The fascination with dreams has become extremely popular. Theories about the meaning behind our dreams include: wish fulfillment, expression of repressed wishes, reflection of thoughts and concerns. All theories are probable and rely on the dreamer. It all comes down to what the dreamer usually dreams about. According to Calvin S. Hall who believes that dreams incorporate elements of ones personal life presses that when interpreting dreams you have to look at, “the action of the dreamers within the dream, objects/figures in the dream, interactions, the dreams setting, transitions, and outcome” (Cherry, n.d.).

The idea is proposed that all dreams incorporate some aspect of our personal lives. A study was conducted to prove so; the dreams of 270 divorcees were studied to see if they were helpful when dealing with the trauma of the situation. Although the study concluded that the dreams had no purpose in dealing with everyday difficulties, something very interesting was noted, “the divorcees who dreamed most about their problems surrounding the end of their relationship were less well adjusted one year down the track” (McHugh, n.d.)

Dreams do have some meaning which is not always clear to the one having the dream. There is no distinct reason as to why you have the dreams you do and in reality, unless we analyze them through a magnifying glass the meaning may never be clear.

Photo courtesy of www.iflscience.com

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra (n.d.) Dream Interpretation: What Do Dreams Mean? Retrieved from www.psychology.about.com

McHugh, Beth (n.d.) Do dreams really mean anything? Retrieved from www.families.com

Winter, Lisa (2014) Why Do We Dream? Retrieved from www.iflsscience.com

About three years ago, my dad began to experience great discomforting both his knee and elbow. After a month of the continuing pain he decided to see the doctor and was told he had gout. Curious as to what exactly gout is I looked it up, according to WebMD, “gout is a kind of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints” (WebMD, 2014) After asking the doctor various questions we were surprised to find out that the condition is in result to consuming red meat. My dad was told to change his diet and steer away from eating red meat.

There are various foods that can lead to a gout episode. The foods one should avoid when suffering from this condition include: scallops, herring, beer, red meat, turkey, sugary drinks, asparagus, and organ meats. Seeing that my dad is a fan of red meat I decided to look into what exactly it contains that leads to gout. Red meat is rich in purines which is a chemical compound, that when broken down turns into uric acid. The uric acid isn’t necessarily bad for the body and is usually eliminated once it passes through the kidneys. Although, when one consumes red meat on a regular basis, too much uric acid is produced and cannot be completely dissolved. This build up of uric acid leads to the condition hyperuricemia. The formation of uric acid crystals, which is due to hyperuricemia then causes gout to advance.

Of course, studies are not saying that the consumption of the gout-triggering food is forbidden, but rather that it has to be eaten with moderation and not on a daily basis. Although those who have already been diagnosed with gout tend to be more vulnerable to pain attacks with even little consumption. There are foods that can help one to stay away from gout, such as low-fat dairy foods, coffee, fruits, and NON-SWEETENED fluids.

Photo courtesy of www.webmd.com

Works Cited

Harding, Anne (n.d.) 8 Gout-Causing Foods. Retrieved from www.health.com

NIH (2012) Gout. Retrieved from www.niams.nih.gov

WebMD (2012) Diet and Gout. Retrieved from www.webmd.com

It is pretty obvious that there has been a hype over zombies in the past few years. With shows like The Walking Dead, Zombie Apocalypse, and movies like World War Z it is no wonder people are obsessed. There have been predictions of a zombie apocalypse occurring that has led some people to go as far as zombie proofing their cars and horses. Now I am not talking about green monsters going around eating flesh or someone on bath salts that gets a little too crazy, but a “realistic” zombie apocalypse. Is a zombie apocalypse scientifically possible? Do we the people have to worry about this scenario?

First, lets make one thing clear, “zombies in the sense of dead people coming back to life are not possible” (Adams, 2013). So, we can rule out that theory. The people don’t have to worry about the dead popping out of the ground craving flesh, but there are a other probable scientific theories. One possible cause would be in the hands of brain parasites. Brain parasites have the power to change how one behaves depending on which part of the brain they take an effect on. An example of one brain parasite is toxoplasmosa which is present in a majority of Earth’s population, most of whom are not even aware. This specific toxin after various studies, have proven that it can cause a change in the personality of those who may be infected which makes them vulnerable to basically loosing their mind. Now how exactly can this result in a zombie apocalypse? If the toxin does evolve, it ca cause those infected to go crazy and throw out any rational thought. Although not physically dead, the victims can be considered brain dead, reeking havoc on the people.

Other probable theories include: neurotoxins, rage virus, neurogenesis, and nanobots. Neurotoxins are certain poisons that can lead one to be in a trance-like state, not able to perform everyday task. This disease may not lead to cannibalism, but it can lead to dead people living amongst us, not in touch with the rest of the world. The rage virus symptoms include lack of coordination, hallucinations, and even dementia. Neurogenesis involves the re-growth of brain tissue that is already dead. Nanobots project the most fear. they are “self-replicating robots that can invisibly build-or destroy-anything” (Wong, 2007).

One can question if these are probable possibilities due to the fact that theses diseases are present on Earth and no zombie apocalypse has occurred yet. The research is not necessarily saying that any of these will cause a zombie apocalypse, the toxins would have to evolve a great amount to take any real affect. Just because the factors in each theory have not evolved to their full potential does not mean we should rule them out. After all, you never know.

Photo courtesy of www.cracked.com

Works Cited

Adams, Diana (2013) It Turns Out… A Real Zombie Apocalypse Is Possible After All. Retrieved from www.bitrebels.com

Wong, David (2007) 5 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen. Retrieved from www.cracked.com

I have always questioned if distance does indeed make the heart grow fonder or if it is just a scapegoat to avoid the pain of separation. It was not until these past few months that I experienced this scenario myself. I have lived with my family in a small town in California my whole life, so when I came to Penn State I missed them terribly. I loved my family with all my heart before leaving, but I can honestly say that being away from them for so long has made my love for them grow stronger. Then I wondered is this the case for most people and what possesses us to do so?
When looking into the different observational studies on the topic I found that there was no studies focused on the relationships of families, but of couples. The observers on this question found that long-distance relationships were present in a great amount of college students, “up to 75% of college students have engaged in a long-distance relationship at some point, and roughly 25% to 50% of them are currently in one” (Kerner, 2013). So, what exactly about distance makes the heart grow fonder? In most cases the researchers found that the couples in long-distance relationships found ways to communicate more than those couples who weren’t. Although it wasn’t just the amount of communication that increases, but the intimacy between the couples. There were two different probable reasons for the increase in the intimacy of the couples. The first reason is that distance allows the partners to, “create an ideal image of your significant other which builds intimacy” (Vorwerk, 2013). Another probable theory is that the couples not being in physical contact with one another builds up the coupled emotions towards one another allowing them greater intimacy.
With the findings from each study one can infer that a long-distance relationship can work out. If anything they are stronger than those of couples who see each other a majority of the time. A long-distance relationship requires more commitment/trust, and with that the love grows stronger. So, it is probable under most circumstances that distance does make the heart grow fonder. To all those long-distance couples, maybe there is nothing to worry about.

Photo courtesy of www.usatoday.com

Works Cited

Kerner, Ian (2013) Does distance really make the heart grow fonder? Retrieved from www.cnn.com

Vorwerk, Molly (2013) Does absence make the heart grow fonder? Study says yes. Retrieved from www.usatoday.com

It is no lie that our planet has been experiencing a serious climate change for some time now. Climate change is not only hurting Earth’s atmosphere, but its inhabitants as well. According to various claims, climate change has many consequences, one of those being an increase in deaths. Consequences of climate change that present health risk include: air pollution, heat waves, droughts, flooding, and destruction of habitats.

The spike in length of hot weather has been reported to cause an increase in heart failure. According to a study conducted by Alexandra Schneider, a senior scientist, “when temperatures rose from 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius, deaths from cardiovascular disease rose by 9.5 percent.” (ClimateWire and Irfan, 2014) When the weather dropped in temperature the percentage of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease went down as well. Along with the change in temperature has come the increase of air pollution which poses a serious health risk increasing the amount of hospital visits for heart attacks and asthma.

This epidemic is taking its course world wide and reportedly has lead to an increased outbreak of disease overseas. The weather conditions have lead to an increase in the pest population, which carry diseases that contaminate water and food. One of the diseases that has taken its course rapidly is cholera. Cholera is “an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated.” (WebMD, 2014) Since, this disease is most popular in third world countries where the access to treatment is rare the amount of deaths are high. The change in weather and air pollution has allowed diseases to rapidly reach a wider range.

Although these claims are supported with research and studies, “there are several hypotheses, and nothing is really 100 percent clear.” (Schneider, 2014) The evidence is convincing, but the main goal of scientist is to figure out exactly  what health factors change with the temperature and why these factors change?

Photo Courtesy of mkalty.org

References

Climatewire, Irfan, U. (2014) Air Pollution and Extreme Weather Combine to Kill. Retrieved from www.scientificamerica.com

Jalleh, Martin. A changing climate for disease and death. Retrieved from twnside.org.sg

Cholera. Retrieved from www.webmd.com

Hi everyone! My name is Illisa Gallegos and I am from a small city in southern California. I am a Freshman enrolled in the College of Communications, majoring in Public Relations. I chose this course because it was recommended by my advisors and a General Ed. requirement. Although I do find that science can be interesting, it is not something I believe I would enjoy pursuing as a career. I hope to work in PR for a major fashion magazine in Los Angeles after I graduate from Penn State.