No matter what kind of hair you have, if you’re a girl you probably hate it.  If you have straight hair, you curl it and if you have curly or wavy hair you probably wish it was straight. It’s just a girl  thing.  I don’t know why that is but girls are never happy with their natural hair so we take extreme measures to change it.  Taking a shower is a long process for girls because after our shower it takes hours to get our hair to dry without frizz or poof or making sure our part is on the right side.  However, in our conquest to make sure our hair looks flawless there’s a good chance it is being extremely damaged.

Bleaching, perms, ironing, blowdrying and coloring are only a few of the ways that our hair is becoming damaged at such young ages. Bleaching and perming your hair penetrates the cuticle which alters the strength of the hair, making it weaker.  Both of these methods leave your hair dull looking with split ends. Flat-ironing and blowdrying hair are also bad if you do it daily because adding such intense heat causes changes to the hydrogen bonds that hold  your hair together.  Coloring isn’t as bad as bleaching but there are still consequences. Highlights and coloring can damage hair because they change the inner structure of your hair which causes a look of dryness, especially when you frequently color your hair to try and hide gray hairs. (CBS news-November, 2008)

I did research on what to do if your hair is already damaged and the best advice is to make sure you use more conditioner than shampoo because it can restore natural oils in your hair and make it healthier.  Make sure to leave in the conditioner for 5-10 minutes. Additionally, try letting your hair dry naturally instead of using heat to dry it.  Letting it dry naturally will make sure it doesn’t get damaged more than it already is.

References:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/how-do-you-bring-life-bac_b_3805181.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/8-ways-youre-damaging-your-hair/

No matter how much sleep I get, I wake up every morning exhausted and remain tired all day.  I was interested in knowing why I constantly feel this way so I did some research and it turns out there are three main reasons.  The first and most obvious is how much sleep you get, the second is what you eat and the third is how often you exercise.

Many people don’t get enough sleep and are therefore going to be tired throughout the day.  As soon as not getting enough sleep becomes a routine it starts to affect how you feel throughout weeks and months because of the 24-hour cycle your body functions on. If you aren’t sleeping at night one good idea is to avoid caffeine and alcohol before going to sleep. Another good idea is to turn off all electronics before going to sleep.

Eating healthy is a great way to keep from being tired. Drinking caffeine or sugary drinks will keep you up at night, thus not being able to sleep and waking up exhausted. A balanced, healthy diet with fruits and vegetables and protein will keep your body functioning during the day and will let your body rest at night. “Most people feel they are less tired if they eat a healthy diet,” says J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD, (past president of the American College of Physicians.)  Eating healthy will additionally keep you thinner which is important to this topic because obesity has been shown to increase fatigue.

How much you exercise is a big factor in exhaustion as well. It has been proven that exercising gives you energy. It’s funny because one would think that exercising would make you more tired because you are moving around so much but this is not the case. Studies have shown that sedentary people are much more lethargic than people that exercise regularly. The more you move, the more energy you will have.

References:

http://www.medicinenet.com/why_am_i_so_tired_the_many_causes_of_fatigue/views.htm

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-am-i-so-tired/

Whether or not you are willing to admit it, everyone has bad habits.  Some habits are worse for your health than others but they all come from similar places within yourself. Smoking, cracking your knuckles and biting your nails are three of the most common “bad habits.” The question is: How do we break these habits? Well, if there’s a will, there’s a way! No matter how bad the habit is there is a way to put an end to it.

Of course, the more you do this habit, the harder it becomes to break but here is a way to help. Make the habit conscious. Let’s say we’re discussing cracking knuckles, the first thing you have to ask yourself is “why am I cracking my knuckles?” The second question you have to ask is “when am I cracking my knuckles?” Once these two questions are answered it will be much easier to break the habit. If you can notice when you are cracking them and what thoughts are going through your mind you can figure out if the habit is a stress relief activity or if you are just bored. Psychiatrist Susan Jaffe, says that “once you figure out under what circumstances and what feelings are attached to the habit, you might be able to figure out why you are doing it and be able to stop.”

Once you realize how and why you are cracking your knuckles the next step is to find something else to do with your hands besides cracking your knuckles in attempt to stop. One psychiatrist says to try to get your hands in a position such that you won’t be able to move our hands! For example, try doodling or holding onto your shirt instead. (Vijai P. Sharma, Ph.D)

References:

http://kylesappsycho.weebly.com/bad-habits.html

Click to access ChallengeOct14.pdf

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I am constantly hungry.  Everywhere I look I’m reminded of food.  From social media networks of “food porn”, to recipes of desserts popping up on my Facebook newsfeed and ads everywhere it gets to be a little overwhelming at times. Watching too much TV, not getting enough sleep, skipping breakfast, and eating too quickly are all reasons that we are always reaching for food.

Those who watch over two hours of TV a day are more likely to consume larger amounts of high calorie snacks. In addition to snacks, many people eat dinner in front of the TV eating unhealthy foods such as pizza and sugary drinks.

According to a study done at the University Of Chicago, “People ate 221 more calories from snack foods the day after getting 5.5 hours of sleep compared to when they snoozed for 8.5 hours.”  Getting less sleep also lowers levels of leptin which is a hormone telling your body that you are full. It is important to get a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night in order for your body to feel rested and so that you’re not always starving.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, people who skimp on eating breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to be obese.  It is suggested in this study that skipping meals slows down your metabolism, which makes you hungry and makes your body store more fat than it normally would.

Eating too quickly is another reason that people don’t feel full or are hungry more often than they really should be.  A study found in the journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed that the longer participants of a study took to eat a bowl of ice cream the fuller they felt after eating it.  The problem with eating too fast is that your stomach does not have time to release the hormones that are supposed to tell the brain when you are full and when to stop eating.  When one inhales their food they end up eating many more calories than their body really needs.

references:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/opinion/sunday/always-hungry-heres-why.html?_r=0

http://sportsgeezer.com/2014/we-are-fat-because-we-are-hungry-and-heres-why/

http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/recipes/5-reasons-youre-always-hungry

http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2004/20041206-sleep.html

There’s no way I’m the only one who gets frustrated when it’s 3:00AM and I’m staring at the ceiling. There is no worse feeling in the world than not being able to fall asleep or tossing and turning all night long.  But, this feeling is especially bad when you know you have to wake up early the next day.  Here are some solutions to help fix your insomnia!

Insomnia is the inability to sleep, remain asleep, or get the amount of sleep an individual needs to wake up feeling rested.  (Wikipedia – Insomnia) Insomnia can last a few nights, or it can be chronic and last months or even years if you don’t take the correct actions.

Firstly, establish a regular bedtime. Sticking to the same sleep-wake cycle throughout the entire week (yes, even weekends) will help your body adjust to a certain time that it will start automatically winding down.  Using your bed properly is important as well.  Sleeping is the only activity your bed should be used for. If you start bringing homework onto your bed, your brain could be confused whether it should be in work-mode or sleep-mode.

If that does not work, there have been studies that show relaxation methods such as meditation helps individuals to sleep. People who practice meditation, yoga or deep breathing saw improvements in total sleep time and quality. (Laura Newcomer, October 2014)

Next, it is a good idea to dim the lights about two hours before going to sleep.  There was a study shown that leaving on lights right before you go to bed could negatively affect your quality of sleep. The lights suppress melatonin levels which affects how tired you are. (The Endocrine Society – January 14, 2011) One last technique is not to stress your brain out too much right before bed.  Try not to think too much, which includes, watching stimulating TV shows or reading complex material.  Activities like these tend to keep the brain running, which ultimately, will keep the body awake.

References:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110113082716.htm

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/cant-sleep-insomnia-treatment.htm

Like most other teens, I find myself getting about 7 hours of sleep during the week nights.  As an 18 year old, this is not enough rest at all.  Every day I wake up fatigued and groggy.  Some people, in order to make up for this lost sleep go out and buy an energy drink such as red bull.  Is this a healthy habit or are these drinks affecting our health?

We all have things to do and people to see.  In our fast pace society it’s not always so easy to get 9 hours of sleep each night.  Everyone has so many demands on their time that they need an extra boost of energy besides sleep.  It has been reported that those who drink energy drinks do have an increase in mental alertness.  These sweet tasting drinks also contain vitamins and minerals that are important to one’s health. (Tiffany Tseng, symptom find)

The cons of these energy drinks outweigh the pros.  Potential weight gain, cardiovascular problems, and dependency are all serious problems that can come from such drinks. Since these drinks are packed with so much sugar and caffeine they tend to have a ton of calories. So, even though you are getting a short boost of energy, it comes at a high cost.  If you aren’t careful it is very easy to gain weight just from drinking these daily.  People that are drinking tons of these types of drinks are also much more at risk for cardiovascular problems, for example, rapid heart beat. Energy drinks can be highly addictive so many people become dependent on them to wake up in the morning and get them to function throughout the day. Some people even suffer from withdrawal symptoms like mood swings if they don’t have their energy boost.  (Katherine Zeratsk, healthy lifestyle)

The moral of the story is simply to limit the use of drinking energy drinks.  Instead of having these drinks daily, save them for a time when you are desperate!

references:

http://www.symptomfind.com/nutrition-supplements/the-pros-and-cons-of-energy-drinks/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/energy-drinks/faq-20058349

The use of cell phones has dramatically increased in today’s society.  Cell phones have revolutionized communication in the 21st century. The reason we check our cell phones so often is because of the convience that they provide.  Whether you have a blackberry, android or iPhone, these devices allow us to access any information at the touch of a button.  Even though cell phones provide us with such efficiency the amount that we are using them can likely take a toll on our health.

“Mobile phones use transmitting radio waves through a series of base stations where radiofrequency waves are electromagnetic fields that cannot break chemical bonds or cause ionization in the human body” says the World Health Organization (WHO). It is important to increase the distance of your cell phone from your head in order to avoid radio frequency  exposure. For example, when talking on the phone, put it on speaker so that it is not pressed up against your brain. 

The high frequency of cell phone use can have negative effects on our stress levels as well.  The nonstop ringing and vibration from text messages can put someone on edge. Researchers have found that high phone use was correlated with stress and sleep disturbances for women. High cell phone use has been linked with symptoms of depression in men also. (BMC Public Health, Sara Thomee)

Cell phones can increase risk of eye vision problems.  Staring at a cell phone for hours on end can effect your vision as you grow up.  Screens on mobile phones are smaller than computer and TV screens, which means people have to strain there eyes more in order to see clearly while reading articles and text messages on their cell phones. Using cell phones much more than is necessary can be a dangerous risk factor for people’s health of all ages.

references:

http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-Explains-Cell-Phone-Dangers-and-How-to-Avoid-Them

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones

http://drbenkim.com/cell-phone-dangers

These days there are all kinds of ridiculous diets.  We are all constantly looking to be healthier and thinner but some people take it to the extreme.  Lately, supermarkets have stocked up much heavier on gluten-free products than ever before. A gluten free diet was made specifically for people suffering from Celiac Disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where the  take-in of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine.  According to a study done by the Mayo clinic, 1 in every 141 people in the United States have this disease.  However, now, more people are using gluten-free as a diet because they feel it will help their health. (Huffington Post, Gluten-free myths)

There are more people now more than ever that are ditching gluten all together even if they don’t require that diet, but do they even know the facts? Eliminating wheat may cause you to become deficient in the micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals that are contained within wheat, that they need for survival. Gluten-free diets have been found to show a major decrease in A & D vitamins, as well as calcium, iron, and zinc. (Huffington Post, Gluten-free myths)

Additionally, people believe they will drop tons of weight by going gluten-free.  This is not the case, in fact, it could possibly be the opposite. You won’t necessarily lose weight, it really all depends on how you go gluten free.  Yes, if you stop eating foods with heavy carbs such as bagels and pasta you will lose weight, however, if you’re simply replacing these foods with the “gluten free pasta” you won’t. Replacing regular products with the gluten free identical product is a bad idea because usually gluten-free products have more sugar and fat which contain more calories.  Just because more gluten free products exist now does not mean you should switch your entire diet!

Of course, for people who really do have celiac disease, avoiding gluten is important and necessary because they could experience extreme abdominal pain. Even just small amounts of gluten may damage their small intestines.

sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/16/gluten-free-diet-myths_n_3280488.html

http://celiac.org/blog/2014/02/12/9-things-you-should-know-before-going-gluten-free/

http://celiac.org/celiac-disease/what-is-celiac-disease/

We’re all guilty of cramming for tests.  Whether it’s because you procrastinated or simply just didn’t have time to get to all of your homework, everyone crams but some people do it more than others.  Cramming, in my experience has had very negative effects on me and my test scores.  Not only did I start to have erratic grades but my stress level also increased significantly when studying.

I used to see cramming as something I had to do in order to get good grades and survive in school but the method completely backfired. Cramming gave me extreme psychological stress which ended up making me have a much harder time focusing.  Along with not being able to concentrate well, I also ended up having a much harder time interpreting test questions accurately because I was so stressed out that I couldn’t figure out what the question was asking.  My stress level also increased because my sleep pattern varied each night.  The less sleep you get, the less time your brain has to recover from stress. 

I have found that long sessions of studying are much more efficient than short ones.  When I sit for five hours at my desk attempting to study all of the information on a test for the next day, I only end up actually studying for 20 minutes anyway. Where as, if I study for 30 minutes a night for five days in a row it is much more beneficial because my brain has time to process the information and build knowledge little by little.

Cramming before exams is a bad idea because it creates a mindset of only doing enough work to merely pass the exam without really knowing the information.  Because of the culture that we live in we get overly tested.  Students have figured out ways to memorize the information and then spit it out on the test without retaining any of which he or she spent hours studying.

Cramming does not work!

Sources:

http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/instructionalmaterials/qt/cramming.htm

http://businessmajors.about.com/od/studentresources/a/HowToCramForATest.htm

There has been tons of debate over the past decade about whether or not homework is necessary or beneficial. Schools say it’s essential in getting students to learn how to work independently, while students, and even some teachers believe it is a waste of time.

Children, teens and young adults are so busy after class with sports, clubs and extra curricular activities such as voluntary work that it is unfair to assign more work then they already completely in seven hours of their school day.  If a student cannot learn what is needed of them to be learned within that school day, then the expectations for the average student are too high.

Besides the fact that studying and homework are bombarding students, what about those students that grew up with a single parent and have to work after school? Or, how about families with low-income that can’t afford to feed their children, for that matter.  Is it fair to give wealthier students the same amount of homework as students struggling to get dinner each night? There are more important things in life than reading a history textbook after school.

On another note, homework tends to de-motivate kids. While it is important to study for tests and work hard in school, it is useless for teachers to give “busy work.”   Busy work is unnecessary homework that teachers give to students just because teachers are supposed to give a certain amount of work each week. However, this kind of homework makes kids spite school and want to rebel.  This is how some students become “those kids” that don’t do their work and fail tests. Homework kills the desire to want to learn.

Instead of giving written homework and essays, teachers should put more emphasis on the thought that learning can happen naturally.  Teachers should be explaining to students how to use their brain in order to question the world instead of following a a boring lesson plan day in and day out.

Homework is POINTLESS

Sources:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2009/10/is_homework_necessary.html

http://www.livescience.com/19379-homework-bad-kids.html

Hi! My name is Kirya Ades-Aron and i’m from Long Island, NY.  I am in the school of communications but my major is public relations. The reason I took this class is because I am HORRIBLE at any kind of “real” science class such as physics or biology.  I am very excited about what this class has to offer because I read that it is a class for people that are bad and get completely lost when it comes to science, like me!