In one of my previous blogs I talked about how homosexual parents impact their children. The results were inconclusive about whether they have negative or positive effects. This got me to thinking though, what about single parent homes?

In a study done by NatCen Social Researc, they found they children are “no less happy” in single parent homes than in homes with a mother and a father. They found that it is the quality of the relationship rather than the quantity of them. The study was made up of 12, 877 children age 7 from three types of homes: a biological mother and father, a biological parent and step parent, and single parent home. Every child was asked “how often do you feel happy?” (Embly).

The results showed that 36% of children from single parent homes were happy all the time and the other 64% said they are happy sometimes or never (Embly). Interestingly, the exact same percentages were found in the results of children with two parents. When social class or affluence was factored in, it did not affect the results in a big way. This study says that the quality of the family’s relationships are what has the biggest impact on the child, not the family structure. This makes sense because as long as a child is loved that will impact their happiness. A child could have two parents that don’t pay much attention to them or treat them improperly.

This is inconsistent with what many previous theories have said. It is thought that “broken” homes would have unhappy children. This is a large study but it does not rule out third variables or chance. There are many different things that factor into a child’s happiness other than home life. Also, even though this study says single parenting does not affect a child’s happiness, it can still affect social and other emotional problems. These results, like the homosexual parenting results, are inconclusive with this information.

Sources:

Embley, Jochan. The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

The number of children who are diagnosed with autism is on the rise, and the numbers are quite scary. Why have the numbers increased so much in the past decade or so? Is there something that is making the numbers rise or are there just more children actually being diagnosed? There are no definite answers, but some people have theories, as we talked about in class with the genomes.

The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network monitors 8 year olds and estimates the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to ADDM, in 2010, the results showed that 14.7 per 1,000 or 1 in 68 children had autism. Boys are much more likely to be autistic with 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls having autism in the region being monitored. White children are 30% more likely to have ASD than black children and 50% more likely to have ASD than Hispanic children. 46% were average or above average intellectually (IQ >85, 31% were intellectually challenged (IQ<70), and 23% were on the border of each (IQ 71-85). The average age of the earliest diagnosis was 53 months (Prevalence of ASD).

In the 1990s, 6.2 of every 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism by age 5, compared with 42.5 in 10,000 in 2001 (Code). It is crazy how much the numbers rose in 10 years, and they have continued to rise since then as show in the last paragraph. The opinions about causes vary. Some people think exposure to chemicals during pregnancy alters the brain triggering autism, and others think childhood vaccines cause autism. A study showed a potential link between autism and phthalates which are found in vinyl and cosmetics such as hand soap.

The main cause that is being studies now is genetics and genomes. According to Autism Speaks, the Autism Genome Project which started in 2004 is the largest project studying the link of autism and genes. It is still only in the first phase, but the first steps were getting DNA samples from 1,200 families which researched then studies for increased or decreased susceptibility to developing autism (Genetics and Genomes). Phase 2 will be a three year process which takes the information found in phase 1 in those genomes, and compares it to other genomes to find consistency with genes that could be linked with autism to either confirm or rule out certain certain genes.

Since this study is still in the process of being completed, there are not results at this time. But, there is great hope that they will find something that gives an answer as to why autism is rising so much. It is a scary epidemic for parents and for children. The beginning information the Autism Genome Project has found has already helped make a difference in understanding autism.

Sources:

“Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2010.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

“Genetics and Genomics.” Autism Speaks. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

Cone, Marla. “New Study: Autism Linked to Environment.” Scientific American Global RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

Finals are coming up and we all now how stressful this time is. Countless amounts of studying need to be done and the last few assignments need to be completed. The problem is, there is so much to do and staying focused and on task is extremely hard. Many students resort to taking Adderall, which is supposed to be used for people with ADHD to help them focus and not get distracted all the time. Using adderall illegally can be helpful when studying, but it can also have consequences. Students also find other prescription stimulants that can help them focus. Anything they can find, they will use.

A study was conducted by Laura M. Garnier-Dykstra, M.A., Kimberly M. Caldeira, M.S., Kathryn B. Vincent, M.A., Kevin E. O’Grady, Ph.D.,and Amelia M. Arria, Ph.D. in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. 1,253 college students were assessed from 2004-2009. Each of the participants reported taking an illicit stimulant at least once in high school. There were 49% male participants and 51% female, and 71% of the participants were white (Arria).

During the first year, they completed questionnaires about themselves and had a personal interview to get a better understanding of their use of illicit drugs. Each year within 4 weeks of their original interview in year 1 the students would come back and be interviewed again. The types of things they were assessed on were how much they were exposed to the drugs, their motives behind using the drugs if they used them, how they took the drug (swallowed, snorted, injected, etc.) if they used them, their source of getting the drugs, their GPA, extracurriculars, alcohol use, etc.

The results found that 61.8% of the participants were offered prescription drugs at least once by the end of the fourth year, and 31% of the participants used the drugs (Arria). Studying purposes proved to be the most common use of the drugs and most students got the drugs from their friends. Less than 17% snorted the drugs, and most swallowed them whole (Arria). Lower GPAs and alcohol use were often associated with those who used the prescription drugs (Arria). This begs the question, is it even worth taking these drugs to do better in school if the GPAs were lower than those who did not use the drugs? Although the people who were using the drugs to get high instead of studying could be the ones with the lower GPAs, but that is not stated in the results.

Prescription stimulant drugs do help students focus more and get more studying done, but there are extreme psychological and physical consequences to using these drugs incorrectly. The symptoms of abusing prescription drugs are insomnia, restlessness, weight loss, agitation and irritability, high blood pressure, impulse behavior, and irregular heartbeats (Mayo Clinic). And the next step is becoming addicted to these drugs. This is a serious problem in our society today and it can have life-long damaging effects.

This study shows that most people use prescription stimulants are using them for a “good reason” which is to get good grades not to get high, but it is still something people need to be cautious of. The results of this study could have been due to third variables, or chance. The best way to get solid results on this topic would be to do a double-blind placebo trial. Randomly give half of the participants prescription drugs and half of them the placebo to se how it effects them. But this does not answer the questions of why people use them. It would in fact tough show the effects it has on the body. This would be unethical unless the participants gave consent and agreed to the trial.

In conclusion, students use drugs for all different reasons, but the use of drug stimulants in college students is constantly rising. From 1993 to 2005, the use of stimulant drugs increased 93% (Clinton Foundation). Every college campus is different, but some colleges have up to 25% of their students using stimulant drugs (Arbor). It is a rising epidemic that needs to be kept on watch.

Sources:

Arria, Amelia. “Non-medical Use of Prescription Stimulants during College: Four-year Trends in Exposure Opportunity, Use, Motives, and Sources.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Prescription Drug Abuse.” Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.

Clinton Foundation. “A Rising Epidemic on College Campuses: Prescription Drug Abuse.” Clinton Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Arbor, Ann. “Non-medical use of prescription stimulants among US college students: prevalence and correlates from a national survey.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2014.

We have all heard that alcohol affects men and women in different ways, but do we actually know how? Many times women become very emotional and lose their inhibitions and men can become reckless or angry, but some people are very happy drunks. It affects everyone differently.

Valerie S. Harder conducted a study to see how alcohol affects each gender. There were 246 participants in the study and all of them were said to have a possible drinking problem by their doctor. There were 166 men and 80 women. The participants started an alcohol treatment program and reported their emotions every day, once a day.

Stress was a key factor. Those who reported being very stressed indulged in more drinking the next day, and the day after that their stress levels were reported to be lower. The differences between how alcohol affected genders differently were too minor to make an assessment. The researchers thought that participants’ levels of happiness would go up after a day of drinking, but they found that was not true. “People report less happiness as they use more alcohol” (Cox). This was true in both men and women, but more so in women.

Many people drink alcohol to improve their mood, but this study had results that showed that is not how it works. The study also found that men who were angry were more likely to drink the next day. This study is not big enough to be 100% convincing, and with an observational study there is always third variables, reverse causation, and chance. This study could not conclude huge differences in the way alcohol affected men and women. I think it depends on the individual’s personality to determine how alcohol will affect them.

In the United States, men drink more than women. According to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services survey, “57.6 percent of males aged 12 and older and 46.5 percent of females aged 12 and older reported having consumed at least one alcoholic beverage in the past 30 days” (Rufus). Also, alcohol use increases with levels of education. Those who have a college degree are more likely to consume alcohol than those who did not graduate from high school (Rufus). This sounds surprising at first, but alcohol is used to socialize especially in business settings.

All of these people are affected in different ways by alcohol. Men have a higher tolerance for alcohol than women do, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect them psychologically. According to the book Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing the Specific Needs of Women women are more susceptible to long term effects of drugs and alcohol. Women have a harder time dealing with the effects of these substances and are more likely to get alcohol and drug related diseases, organ failure, and psychological disorders (Center For Substance Abuse Treatment).

In conclusion, every individual who decides to consume alcohol has to be aware of the way it affects them. The consequences can be very dangerous if the substance is abused. Men and women are both affected in similar and different ways.

Sources:

Cox, Lauren. “Moods and Booze: Alcohol’s Effects Different in Men and Women.” LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 26 July 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Rufus, Anneli. The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

Center For Substance Abuse Treatment. Chapter 3: Physiological Effects of Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco on Women. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Sept. 0000. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.

The very controversial topic of same sex marriage has raised many issues in the area of raising children. Some people feel that it is their right to be able to raise a child and others feel it is extremely wrong. People’s reasoning behind their opinions is different, but quality of life for the child should be the main concern. The only way to truly tell if the quality of life lessens for the child being raised by gay fathers or lesbian mothers is to look at the facts.

Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas at Austin conducted a study that has brought new light to the thought that same sex marriage children do not face more disadvantages than children from a married mother and father. In past studies, researchers have observed and studied children who are still living with their parents, and many times the information was filled out by the parents themselves. This leads to bias opinions and an invalid study (Sprigg). Regnerus decided to study adults ages 18-39 to see how their upbringing effected them then and how it has continued with them into their adulthood. 15,000 people were screened as potential candidates for the study, and 3,000 were selected. Of that 3,000, 175 people were raised by mothers in lesbian relationships and 73 were raised by fathers in  gay relationships.

The questions included:

• Yes or no: are you currently married, are you currently unemployed, have you thought recently about suicide?
• Place yourself on a scale: of educational attainment, happiness or depression, and household income.
• “Event count” which is the frequency something has happened of: smoking marijuana or being arrested and the number of sex partners.

The results were separated into three groups: those with “intact biological family” (IBF), aka raised by a mother and a father, those raised by gay fathers, and those raised by lesbian mothers. The study had 80 outcome measures that compared children of homosexual parents and IBF children. On 77 out of the 80 measures, children of homosexual parents were more likely to “deviate from the social norm in the case of their sexual orientation” (Sprigg). Regnerus wanted to make sure that the results were accurate and significant. He compared the results directly but also “‘Controlling for income,’ for example, would mean showing that “IBF” children do not do better just because their married parents have higher incomes, but that they do better even when the incomes of their households and the households of homosexual parents are the same” (Sprigg). This way, the comparisons are fair and give valid results.

The results of the study showed that in comparison to IBF children, the children of lesbians and gays:

• “Are much more likely to have received welfare (IBF 17%; LM 69%; GF 57%)
• Have lower educational attainment
• Report less safety and security in their family of origin
• Report more ongoing “negative impact” from their family of origin
• Are more likely to suffer from depression
• Have been arrested more often
• If they are female, have had more sexual partners–both male and female” (Sprigg).

Since there were fewer children of gay fathers in this study, the results were not significant enough. But since 71% of the homosexual children in the study were raised by lesbian mothers they found that they:

• “Are more likely to be currently cohabiting
• Are almost 4 times more likely to be currently on public assistance
• Are less likely to be currently employed full-time
• Are more than 3 times more likely to be unemployed
• Are nearly 4 times more likely to identify as something other than entirely heterosexual
• Are 3 times as likely to have had an affair while married or cohabiting
• Are an astonishing 10 times more likely to have been “touched sexually by a parent or other adult caregiver.”
• Are nearly 4 times as likely to have been “physically forced” to have sex against their will
• Are more likely to have “attachment” problems related to the ability to depend on others
• Use marijuana more frequently
• Smoke more frequently
• Watch TV for long periods more frequently
• Have more often pled guilty to a non-minor offense” (Sprigg).

Since this study had a small amount of children of homosexual parents, the results are not 100% convincing. It was an observational study so it does not rule out third variables, reverse causation, or chance. Also, there have been so many studies done on this topic that many of them come to different conclusions. For example, researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia found very different results.

The Washing Post writes about how Simon Crouch led the study that surveyed 315 same-sex parents which added to 500 children in Australia. 80% of children had lesbian mothers and 18% had gay fathers. Compared with the general population, children of same sex marriage scored 6% higher on general health and family cohesion (Bever). Since many children of same sex marriages are given a stigma, it leads to bullying and uncomfortable situations for the child. This could beat down their self esteem, but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children of homosexual parents have more of a resilience in regards to their stigmas and other people’s opinions.

This study was bigger, but the results are not as convincing. Benjamin Siegel, professor of pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine, told BU Today that “none of the studies have been a randomized, controlled trial and that all studies on same-sex parenting are small since there aren’t as many same-sex parents” (Bever). This is extremely true and every child’s case is different.

Studies on same sex marriage will continue to come to different results especially when third variables, reverse causation, and chance are so prevalent in every case. People still have their opinions, but in mine, I believe that children of same sex marriages do face disadvantages, but that is not to say that children of a mother and father do not face disadvantages as well. At this time, I cannot make a certain conclusion about whether children of same sex marriages experience negative effects from their upbringing.

Sources:

Sprigg, Peter. “Family Research Council.” Family Research Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Bever, Lindsey. “Children of Same-sex Couples Are Happier and Healthier than Peers, Research Shows.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2014.

Smokers have different reasons as to why they choose to smoke. It is actually more common for teens to be nonsmokers than smokers. 9 out of 10 high school students do not smoke (Did you know?). But that still leaves some teens that do smoke. Whether it is just in social settings or because they like it or they do it to make themselves feel better, it still has detrimental effects. The question is, does smoking increase depression in teens?

Scientists at the University of Montreal and the University of Toronto did an observational study to test this question. It was conducted by having 662 high school students fill out 20 questionnaires from grades 7 to 11 about their use of cigarettes. The study surveyed students from all different schools so they would have diverse students. Then, they were divided into three groups: non-smokers, smokers who do not use cigarettes to improve their mood or self-medicate, and smokers who do use cigarettes to improve their mood or self-medicate. To find out if the students had depression symptoms they asked how often they felt too tired to do anything, if they had trouble sleeping, if they felt depressed, sad, or unhappy, if they had little hope for their future, and if they were nervous or worried about a lot of things.

The results showed that students who used cigarettes to improve their mood had more depressive symptoms than the non-smokers. They researchers found that students who have “emotional benefits” from smoking tend to be at a higher risk for becoming depressed. Interestingly, the correlation between depression and smoking is primarily seen in teens. Although, since this is a relatively small observational study, the results could very well be due to chance. There also could be many other things besides smoking that cause the teens to become depressed, so third variables are still an option. Also, reverse causation is very likely because teens that have depression could then start smoking to cope with their feelings.

Michael Windle, PhD, and colleague Rebecca C. Windle from the University of Alabama conducted a very similar study. They studied 1,218 students for a year and a half starting when they were sophomores and juniors. Every six months students completed questionnaires, just like in the above study. But in these questionnaries they asked questions such as “temperament, parents’ smoking habits, social support within the family, delinquent activity, alcohol and other substance use, and friends’ alcohol and drug use” (Carpenter). The results showed that students who were heavy smokers in the beginning were much more likely to become depressed over time than those who did not smoke very heavily or at all.

With this study, they also found that teens that had constant depressive symptoms in the beginning of the study tended to smoke more heavily as time went on than those who were not depressed in the beginning. Scientists are not sure whether smoking causes depression or depression causes smoking, but there is definitely a correlation both ways. I think both are very true and the correlation between depression and smoking is growing every day.

According to Michael Windle, nicotine alters the brain’s pleasure centers which causes mood to improve. But over time, the brain develops a tolerance to nicotine so it takes more to get the same effect. This causes heavier smoking. Then, when heavy smokers try to quit smoking, they are much more likely to become depressed which causes them to go back to smoking. It is a vicious cycle that is very hard to break.

In conclusion, there is a very strong correlation between smoking and depression. But, third variables, reverse causation and chance are still possible in both studies.

Sources:

University of Montreal. “Smoking can increase depressive symptoms in teens, study finds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 August 2010.

“Did You Know?” – Facts About Smoking. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2014.

Carpenter, S. “Smoking and Depression Perpetuate One Another, Study Indicates.”Http://www.apa.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.

When I was younger I always felt that my dog was part of the family. If any of us were sad or not feeling like ourselves she would be by our side comforting us. This made me wonder, can dogs really sense when we are sad? I always thought dogs had a sixth sense of being able to tell a human’s emotions. University of London researchers did a study on this topic in 2012.

Jennifer Mayer conducted this study in which 18 dogs and their owners agreed to participate. The dogs were a mix of mutts, labradors, and golden retrievers (Pappas). The study took place in each other owner’s living rooms. When Mayer entered the house she would pay no attention to the dog so it would not be interested in her. Then, Mayer and the owner would take turns being the cryer and the hummer. One person would pretend to fake cry while the other would hum. They took turns to make sure that the results could not show the dogs only going to their owners or only to Mayer. 15 out of the 18 dogs went to whoever was crying (Pappas). Out of those 15, “13 did so with submissive body language, such as tucked tails and bowed heads, another behavior consistent with empathy” (Pappas).

Working with animals is difficult because there is no way to get a definitive answer on what they were thinking. With such a small study like this it is hard to say that the results are definitely true. It was an experimental study but there is always a possibility that the results could be due to chance. We can rule out reverse causation which would be that the dog came to the person causing them to cry. So these results are either true, a false positive, or due to chance.

Dogs could have some sort of attraction to tears and crying, but in my opinion, dogs seem to have empathy for their owners. Crying humans provokes a very strong response in dogs. There is a relationship that is formed and dogs are extremely comforting. No matter what the reason is for dogs comforting their owners, I absolutely love that they do! We will never know, but maybe dogs are even more like humans than we thought! No matter what, a few minutes with a dog can turn my day around!

Sources:

Pappas, Stephanie. “Canine Comfort: Do Dogs Know When You’re Sad?”LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 07 June 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

“Dogs Naturally Want to Comfort People Who Are Upset.” DogHeirs. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.

When I go into a restaurant and I see that the calories and nutrition facts are posted on the menu, it makes me think twice about what I order. But, if those facts are not there it usually will not cross my mind. I have never looked up nutrition facts about a restaurant online, even though they are required to post them. With obesity becoming such a huge problem, calorie intake and nutritional facts are definitely something that people should be considering when making choices about what to eat. Christina A. Roberto, MS, Henry Agnew, and Kelly D. Brownell, PhD did an observational study on this.

The study included four chain restaurants: Starbucks, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Au Bon Pain. These four places were required to provide nutrition facts somehow in their restaurant and the scientists would observe how many actually looked at the facts and used them to make a decision about what to order. The scientists said, “We hypothesized that a negligible percentage of consumers would access this information” (Agnew, Brownell, Roberto). They would observe everyone who came into the restaurant (besides children who didn’t apply) during 1.5 hour intervals and mark down anyone who looked at the nutrition facts. They observed 2 different locations for each restaurant in both an urban and suburban area.

In McDonald’s and Burger King the facts were put on a wall poster that people had to turn and look at. Starbucks provided nutrition pamphlets, and one of the McDonalds did as well. The facts at Au Bon Pain were on a computer in the restaurant that customers had to touch the screen to see. Customers were marks down if they turned to read the posters, if they picked up a pamphlet, or if they touched the computer screen. A total of 45 intervals were observed with 4,311 customers. This was a blind experiment because the customers did not know they were being observed.

The results showed that out of 1,501 customers in McDonald’s, 1 woman and 1 man accessed the nutrition facts before ordering, and 1 woman and 1 man accessed the facts after ordering. In Burger King, out of 482 customers, 1 woman an 2 men looked at the poster. Out of 1,671 customers in Au Bon Pain 1 woman accessed the information. In Starbucks, not one of the 657 people observed looked at the information. The scientists concluded that if nutrition facts are provided, they must be easily visible and accessible such as on a big menu board that people are already looking at.

Since this study was observational, we cannot definitively rule out the options of third variables and chance, but with only 6 people out of 4,311, it seems very likely that the information would be correct. The results are consistent with the hypothesis and the people who did look at the nutrition facts seemed to be the anecdotes. Posting the nutrition facts did not cause the customers to look at them. The customers could have already looked up the nutrition facts online and did not need to see them again, but there is no way to tell that. Most of the time people are not extremely concerned with nutrition facts in a fast food restaurant because they already know it’s unhealthy. Either it is a once in a while type thing, they are on a tight budget, or they just do not care. With that being said, it is still better to know what you are putting into your body. In conclusion, if people are going to look at nutrition facts they need to be visibly accessible to them in an easy manner.

Sources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2667851/

Whenever I wake up from having a strange dream I always wonder what caused me to do so. What if we could prevent having the scary nightmares that we all fear? The British Cheese Board says we can! They wanted to disprove the old tale that eating cheese before bed causes nightmares. A study of 200 participants showed that eating cheese before bed actually prevents nightmares.

The participants agreed to eat 2/3 of an ounce of cheese about 30 minutes before bed and then record the type of sleep that what they dreamed of if they did at all. Not one of the participants had a nightmare throughout the entire experiment. 72% of participants slept well and 67% of participants remembered their dreams (Cheese Unlocks Your Wildest Dreams). Scientists think that the science behind all of this is that “there is an essential amino acid in milk called tryptophan” (Eating Cheese Can Alter Your Dreams). Tryptophan is know to help normalizing sleep and reducing stress levels. This explains why the participants are not having nightmares; without stress their dreams will be much calmer.

The results showed different types of cheeses were giving the participants different types of dreams. For example, those who were eating blue cheese had very vivid and wacky dreams. “one of the volunteers said that she dreamed of a vegetarian crocodile who was upset because he couldn’t eat children. And another one dreamed that they had soldiers fighting with each other with kittens instead of guns” (Eating Cheese Can Alter Your Dreams). Now those are some crazy dreams! Those who ate cheddar cheese had a common theme of dreaming of celebrities. Cheshire, another type of cheese, provided a great night sleep, but participants never remembered having any dreams. Red Leicester provoked nostalgic dreams and Lancashire provoked dreams about work.

Now it is quite possible that many of these results could but due to chance, but the fact that not one out of 200 participants had a nightmare, there seems to be at least correlation if not causation. We can rule out reverse causation because having dreams or sleeping does not cause us to eat cheese! This study was experimental and the results are either correct, false positive, or due to chance. There was not even an anecdote which would have been one person having a nightmare. There are many other cheeses out there that could provide different results, but with the results that we have, eating a small amount of cheese before bed is a very easy thing to do to avoid nightmares! I think I might try this out and see how it goes!

Sources:

http://www.dairyreporter.com/R-D/Cheese-unlocks-your-wildest-dreams-says-study

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4851485

The term selfie has become a revolution. The word has even been added to the dictionary! Oxford dictionary defines selfie as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.” if you look around you will most likely find a person taking a selfie. Whether people admit to it or not, we have all taken a selfie at one point! Many people want to take the perfect selfie to post on social media in hopes of getting a ton of likes. Is this really what the world has come to? The amount of likes someone gets is something that people actually worry about in their daily lives. Selfies have seemed to be leading to narcissism, addiction, and mental illness.

Dr David Veal is a psychiatrist. He says, “Two out of three of all the patients who come to see me with Body Dysmorphic Disorder since the rise of camera phones have a compulsion to repeatedly take and post selfies on social media sites” (Scientists Link Selfies). This is an extremely large issue especially in young girls. The pressure to be beautiful and fit society’s version of “perfect” has a huge detrimental impact on people everywhere. Many people think that taking selfies is a joke, but others become completely obsessed with taking the perfect selfie. This means they are constantly looking at themselves and judging themselves based solely on their looks. It seems obvious that this could lead to narcissism, or obsession with themselves.

Can taking selfies cause people to commit suicide? This was almost the case for Danny Bowman, a British male teenager. He spent became so obsessed with taking seflies that he dropped out of school, and for six months he spent 10 hours a day taking over 200 selfies to try to find the perfect one (Scientists Link Selfies). He tried to commit suicide because he could not take the perfect selfie. Danny has body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. Danny told The Mirror “I was constantly in search of taking the perfect selfie and when I realized I couldn’t, I wanted to die. I lost my friends, my education, my health and almost my life” (Scientists Link Selfies).

Now Danny is definitely an extreme and anecdotal case, but the fact that there has even been one case is extremely scary. Selfies can caused narcissism in people,  but we cannot rule out reverse causation because narcissism could lead to people becoming obsessed with selfies. Selfies and addiction are correlated because addictive personalities can become obsessed with taking selfies. We are unsure whether selfies can cause mental disorders, but it is a possibility. It could lead to body dysmorphic disorder or OCD, or they could have no connection at all. All of these correlations or causations could be due to chance. Although, they seem very likely.

This study was observational, but the way to make it experimental would be to have a large group of people become completely obsessed with taking selfies like Danny Bowman was. Then, see how their personality changes after becoming obsessed. This is obviously unethical so for now we have to rely on the little evidence that we have. Although I am guilty of having taken selfies before, I will think twice when I see people taking multiple selfies.

Sources:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/selfie

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/25/selfie-addiction-mental-illness_n_5022090.html

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/04/07/scientists-link-selfies-to-narcissism-addiction-mental-illness/

As I was growing up my mom always told me to eat a good breakfast before school, especially on test days. Many people skip breakfast even though we hear “it’s the most important meal of the day” all the time. Does breakfast in fact improve performance in school?

Many studies have been done to test whether breakfast impacts children’s performance. In almost every experiment, breakfast has proved to have a positive impact on a child’s ability to take tests, to learn, and to stay focused. For example, Harvard did an experiment with children of the same learning capabilities. Some children had a good and healthy breakfast, and the others did not and then they were given an assessment. It was randomized to determine which children ate and which did not. The Harvard researchers found that the children that ate breakfast were “…significantly more attentive in the classroom, earned higher grades in math, and had significantly fewer behavioral and emotional problems” (Kleinman). They also found that children who were hungry were very distracted and had behavioral problems. It makes the children very agitated.

The study involved 133 students and followed their behavior for four months. At the school, they started a free breakfast program in the morning. In the beginning, only about one third of the students ate breakfast at all, and by the end, two thirds of the students were eating breakfast often. These students showed better math grades, better attendance, and decreased anxiety. The School Breakfast Program was established in schools all over the country to increase the number of kids eating breakfast, therefore, improving school performance. (Kleinman).

So is eating breakfast a cause of better school performance or just a correlation? I think it causes better performance. With the data collected, it shows that the vast majority has improved performance after eating breakfast. If someone who does not eat breakfast increases performance, or someone who eats breakfast decreases performance, it is due to chance. Therefore, it is best to eat breakfast in the morning and start your day properly!

Sources:

Kleinman, R. New Harvard research shows school breakfast program may improve children’s behavior and performance. KidSource Online. Web. 09 Oct. 2014.

“Does Eating Breakfast Help You Do Better in School? Ask a Psychologist.” About. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2014.

“Does Eating Breakfast Affect Children’s Learning?” Healthy Eating. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2014.

For years, we have heard how bad it is for a mother to drink alcohol during her pregnancy. We know it is bad but why? And is it really bad? I’ve heard stories of people who drank and smoked during their whole pregnancy and miraculously their baby was fine. But others who had just a few slip ups caused their baby a lifetime of pain and suffering with birth defects and such. So what effect does alcohol have on a fetus and is it just a correlation or is it causation?

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol it gets into her blood stream. Everything a mother eats and drinks during pregnancy affects the fetus as well. While the alcohol is in the woman’s bloodstream, and can then get into the baby’s bloodstream causing growth to be stunted. The spinal cord and the brain are usually the most affected by the alcohol (WebMD). The alcohol can have a wide range of effects on the baby. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the name for all of those possible outcomes. The effects can be mental or physical and often last for the entire lifetime of the child. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most extreme end of the spectrum and is where the effects are the worst (Alcohol during pregnancy).

Some examples of FASD/FAS are a range of birth defects, the baby may be much smaller than most children their age, learning disorders, small head, organ problems, behavioral problems, defective facial features, etc (Alcohol use in pregnancy). Heavier drinking obviously increases the risks of your baby’s life but any small amount of alcohol can be a factor too. Extreme drinking can even cause miscarriage or a stillborn. Drinking in later stages of the pregnancy is a greater risk than in the beginning stages. Nowadays, doctors advise pregnant women to refrain form drinking completely because that is the only way to ensure your baby’s 100% safety.

An experiment to test the effect of alcohol on a fetus would be to have pregnant women consume different amounts of alcohol. It would be randomized who got what amount and the effects could be observed that way, but that is obviously very unethical.

The question of whether alcohol correlates or causes fetal alcohol syndrome, or various birth defects is obvious in my opinion. Alcohol causes FASD and FAS. It may not happen every time and that is due to chance. Pregnant women who do not drink any alcohol do not have babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome. They may have other birth defects caused by other factors such as genetics or errors during conception due to chance, but that is different than FASD. In conclusion, I think it is best for pregnant women to stay away from alcohol at all times during their pregnancy to ensure the best possible quality of life for their baby.

Sources:

“Alcohol Effects on a Fetus-Topic Overview.” WebMD. WebMD, 03 Jan. 0000. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.

“Alcohol during Pregnancy.” BabyCentre. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.

“Alcohol Use in Pregnancy.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 Apr. 2014. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.

Everyone has seen people walking around smoking this odd looking thing and puffing out what is thought to be smoke but it has no odor. The newest fad are electronic cigarettes which some say are a great alternative to regular cigarettes. Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist, patented the product in 2003 and it hit the Chinese market the following year. How does this product actually work?

According to HowStuffWorks, e-cigs work very differently than regular cigarettes which must be lit in order for you to be able to smoke them. Electronic cigarettes don’t require any combustion. Instead, “it heats a nicotine liquid and converts the liquid to a vapor, or mist, that the user inhales” (Susan). Some products have a manual switch to begin using it and others don’t require anything you can just inhale and it works. There are three parts to an e-cig: a rechargeable lithium battery, a vaporization chamber, and a cartridge. The lithium battery is what powers the cigarette and some can be charged to reuse them. The battery is connected to the vaporization chamber which contains electronic controls and is in a tube. In this tube there is an atomizer which is what produces the vapor. In order to use the cigarette, you must attach a cartridge containing nicotine liquid to the vaporization chamber. There is a mouthpiece on the tip of the cartridge (Susan). 

When you inhale, it sends a signal to the atomizer which then begins heating the liquid in the cartridge and turns the liquid into a vapor. Nicotine goes straight to the lungs, and the vapor gets puffed out. The liquid is glycol, which many times is flavored (Susan).

Electronic cigarettes seem to be a good alternative because it provides the nicotine to the smoker, which is what they are addicted to, without all the other “junk” inside of a regular cigarette. In theory it sounds good, but scientists are starting to look at the cons as well. With most things there are health and safety risks. E-cigarettes have not been proven to be a bad thing, but who knows what science will prove tomorrow. For now, they have been a satisfying alternative for smokers, and they are definitely a benefit to those of us who do not appreciate second hand smoke. All in all, they are a cool invention that hopefully leads to a healthier life for the smoker.

Sources:

Cassidy, Susan. HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.

Every once in a while we all love to get fast food. It’s easy, cheap, and usually tastes pretty good. I have never actually had taco bell because of the rumors of what is actually in their beef. So what exactly is in it? A few years ago Taco Bell faced a major lawsuit because people said their meat was only 35% beef. They cleared up this issue by proving their meat has 88% beef, and theother 12% “secret recipe” (Hari). The Food Babe, Vani Hari, researched many different foods and finds out what ingredients are in them. She researched what the other 12% is really made of.

The first ingredient is Maltodextrin which Taco Bell says is just a sweet sugar. In reality, this is made from genetically modified corn and David Zinczenko says it can raise blood glucose and insulin levels. The next ingredient is Torula Yeast which Taco Bell says gives their beef a more “savory flavor.” This actually is a form of MSG and Dr. Mark Hyman says it can be a form of hidden glutamic acid. Taco Bell says they do not have any MSG in their products…that’s interesting! Another ingredient in that 12% is modified corn starch. Taco Bell says this is common in many foods, it comes from corn which is essential in Mexican foods, and maintains moisture. The truth is that it is “highly processed and chemically-altered…as a cheap texturizing agent” (Hari). It is also derived from GMO, genetically modified organisms. The next ingredient is Soy Lecithin which Taco Bell says binds the meat together “like oil and water.” In fact, it is an extremely cheap ingredient and according to  The Cornucopia Institute, “Hexane is a byproduct of gasoline refining. It is a neurotoxin and a hazardous air pollutant…Whole soybeans are literally bathed in hexane to separate the soybeans’ oil from protein” (Hari). It is also a GMO product. 

Sodium Phosphates are used in the beef to help ensure texture, according to Taco Bell. Vani says, the use of phosphates leads to an “increased risk of heart disease, bone loss, and leads to a rapid progression of kidney disease.” Taco Bell also uses Lactic Acids in their beef to “manage the acidity.” The type of lactic acid Taco Bell uses is a GMO product that was produced in a laboratory.  Another ingredient Taco Bell uses is cocoa powder as a form of food coloring. They say it adds no flavor. The cocoa powder they use is processed with alkali which essentially means it takes away any nutritional value. Cocoa beans are also known to be one of the most heavily sprayed crops with pesticides and other chemicals. The final ingredient that makes up the 12% is caramel color which Taco Bell says is caramelized sugar commonly used as food coloring. There are 4 types of caramel coloring and two of which are processed with amonia, which leads to cancer (Hari). Taco Bell will not release which kind they use.

Overall, Taco Bell meat contains chemicals and other extremely unhealthy products. I personally will not be eating Taco Bell anytime soon. 12% may seem small compared to the “88% beef” but it is much more than you would think.

Sources:

Hari, Vani. “What Taco Bell Isn’t Telling Us About Their Ingredients, But You Need To Know!” Food Babe. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.

Many people have opinions about whether or not a tanning bed is bad for you. A lot of people argue that natural sunlight is just as bad for your skin. But in reality, tanning beds put you at a much higher risk for all different types of skin cancer.

According to this article, UVA rays are responsible for tanning while UVB rays are responsible for damaging skin cells, aka sunburn. 95% of sun rays are UVA and only 5% are UVB, but it has been proven that UVA still increases the risk for skin cancer and causes the skin to age (Robb-Nicholson). In a tanning bed, most of the rays are UVA rays coming from a fluorescent bulb, and a few rays are UVB. Although, the UVA rays in a tanning bed are up to three times stronger than they are in natural sun.

Tanning beds are still a pretty recent “fad,” but many studies have been done to prove they are dangerous. If you use a tanning bed you are 50% more likely to get basal cell carcinoma and 100% more likely to get squamous cell carcinoma (Robb-Nicholson). The International Agency for Research on Cancer did a study that proved people who started using tanning beds before 35 years of age increased their risk for melanoma by 75%. The way tanning beds damage the skin is by the UVA and UVB rays damaging the DNA is their cells which can cause mutation which can lead to cancer (Robb-Nicholson). 

Tanning bed popularity is on the rise even though people know the damages it can cause. “Nearly 30 million people in the United States tan in salons every year, most of them women between the ages of 16 and 49″ (Robb-Nicholson). Salons make false claims like it can help create a base tan or it creates vitamin D in your body. The base coat is equivalent to SPF 4 and you can take a vitamin D supplement that does not damage your skin. Cancer is a scary thing in our world today, so people should not consciously be doing things that increase their risks of falling victim to it. There are much more important things in life than being tan.

Sources:

Robb-Nicholson, Celeste. “New Releases.” Is a Tanning Bed Safer than Sunlight? N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.

“Tanning Beds Can Be Dangerous.” Ritas Place in Guffey. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.

<<picture deleted by AFR 10/20/16>>

On a daily basis we tend to undermine how lucky we are to have our memory. A huge fear in many humans is memory loss, or Alzheimer’s disease. According to recent studies, blueberries have a huge impact on brain health. By simply changing our diet and adding a delicious fruit, we can save ourselves from a terrifying future. According to this article, a study has been done on both rats and humans to prove blueberries have a positive impact in preventing memory loss. In the study of rats they found that not only was the memory loss prevented, it was reversed! Once the rats had been on a steady diet for about a month, the improvements kept happening. The University of Cincinatti conducted an experiment with nine people by giving them blueberry juice followed by giving them a memory test. The humans who had the juice scored higher than those who received a placebo (Research Linking Blueberries…).

Alzheimer’s begins about 25 years before you even recognize any symptoms. By adding a healthy dosage of blueberries to your diet, you can prevent yourself from getting this disease later in life (Research Linking Blueberries…). According to the article, other herbs and spices can prevent memory loss as well. Dr. Sabbagh says these include cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, oregano, rosemary and thyme; leafy green vegetables; tomatoes; onions and garlic; green tea; whole grains and legumes; and some fish (Research Linking Blueberries…).

Other purple fruits or bright colored fruits and green tea have been said to prevent Alzheimer’s along with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s. These diseases are partly caused by poorly-bonded iron, and the fruit contains iron chelators to bind the iron together more tightly. With iron that is poorly bonded, it can produce dangerous toxins in your body that lead to diseases (Blueberries and Other Purple Fruits…). If adding these simple things to your diet can make this much of a difference in your life why wouldn’t you? Not only is it beneficial to you in the long run, it’s a healthy food option as well. You can get the best of both worlds!

Sources:

“Research Linking Blueberries to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk Is Strong.”Research Linking Blueberries to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk Is Strong. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.

“Blueberries and Other Purple Fruits to Ward off Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.

Most people have heard of the infamous freshman 15. When students attend their first year of college they experience many changes in their daily lives, especially with stress and eating habits. Teenagers are used to their parents doing most things for them while they live at home. Coming home to nice home cooked meals every night and having active routines makes maintaining weight much easier. When students move to college, their routine definitely changes. Eating habits worsen from having access to food all the time. In the dining halls, it is easy to just grab a slice of pizza or chicken fingers and call it a day. College students have a lot of extra time on their hands, and out of boredom, eating always seems like a great idea. Whether you are snacking while studying, having a late night snack, or “eating your feelings,” there are consequences for all these.

Obviously food is the main reason for gaining the freshmen fifteen, but other factors definitely play a role as well. Starting college is an extremely stressful time. You are on your own for the first time, you’re overwhelmed with school work, and homesickness is tougher than you imagined. Stress definitely causes people to overeat and indulge in unhealthy choices (Is The Freshman 15 Due Entirely To Stress?). Many students choose to drink in college, and alcoholic beverages tend to have more calories. Many students find themselves focusing on their school work or partying more so than exercising, as well. With how much college students eat, you have to burn those calories off somehow, and just walking to class isn’t going to do the trick (Beating The Freshmen 15).

There are ways to “beat the freshmen fifteen.” Finding a good balance of eating healthy, exercising often, and getting enough sleep can make such a difference. If you start to realize you are gaining weight, don’t panic. Cut out those late night snacks, choose a healthier option in the dining halls, and do an extra 15 minutes of exercise every day and that could make all the difference. Do not take the easy way out by skipping meals and dieting because that will not help you in the larger scheme of things. College is a huge adjustment for students, but there is a right way to do it (Beating The Freshmen 15)

Sources:

“Beating the Freshman 15.” KidsHealth – the Web’s Most Visited Site about Children’s Health. Ed. Larissa Hirsch. The Nemours Foundation, 01 Jan. 2014. Web. 8 Sept. 2014.

“Is The Freshman 15 Due Entirely To Stress?” About. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2014.

“The Freshman 15: Will Your College Student Gain More From College Than You Expected?” College Parents of America. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2014.

My name is Katie Filling and I am from Lancaster, Pa. I am a freshman studying Communications. I hope to one day work in a big city and get to travel a lot. I am taking this course because science has never been a strong area for me. I also heard great things about the class and thought it would be a good way to fulfill my gen-ed requirements. Fun fact: my parent’s own a cool clothing store in my hometown.