.png)
June's Monthly Essay - How does stress affect our physical health?
Stress is something all of us have faced before. But ever wondered about the impact it has on our physical health? Stress can have huge effects on our physical health, and most of the time, they are negative effects.
One of the minor effects can include having stomach aches. However, if you are stressed for a long period of time, you may be fatigued, unable to concentrate, or feel irritated for no specific reason. Other effects include digestive problems, anxiety, headaches, depression, sleep problems, weight gain, high blood pressure, and potentially heart diseases or strokes.
The way you respond to stress can also have effects on your physical health. For example, if you smoke, overeat, or overspend, it could cause more problems. This includes diseases and obesity.
​
​
Works Cited
Bhandari, Smitha. “How Stress Affects Your Health.” WebMD, 9 November 2022, https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-anxiety-depression. Accessed 7 June 2023.
“How stress affects your health.” American Psychological Association, 1 January 2013, https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health. Accessed 7 June 2023.
“Lower Stress: How does stress affect the body?” American Heart Association, 20 October 2021, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/lower-stress-how-does-stress-affect-the-body. Accessed 7 June 2023.
“Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior.” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987. Accessed 7 June 2023.
March's Monthly Essay - How do vitamins affect us?
Multivitamins are taken by half of all American adults, making the total amount spent on multivitamins more than $12 billion every year. However, are multivitamins really the best way to get our vitamins? If not, what is the best way to get our vitamins or nutrition?
Nutrition experts have answered this question for us. They state that the nutrients needed are already in foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. There are 13 essential vitamins that exist which are combined of both fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and remain stored in your body. A few examples of these are vitamins A, D, E, and K. However, water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water, so they are not kept in your body. This results in having to have a fresh supply of these vitamins, which are vitamins C and B-complex, every day. But the real question is, does taking vitamins help us any more than just eating our nutrients?
The answer is no. Many experiments have been held around this topic, and researchers found that multivitamins do not reduce your chances of heart disease, cancer, early death, or cognitive decline (ex: memory loss, or slowed-down thinking). So basically, vitamins are necessary, but the healthiest option is to take them through nutrition-packed foods.
Sources:
Gavin, Mary L. “Vitamins and Minerals (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth.” Kids Health, https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/vitamins-minerals.html. Accessed 5 February 2023.
“Is There Really Any Benefit to Multivitamins?” Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/is-there-really-any-benefit-to-multivitamins. Accessed 5 February 2023.
“Vitamins and Minerals for Older Adults | National Institute on Aging.” National Institute on Aging, https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/vitamins-and-minerals-older-adults. Accessed 5 February 2023.
December's Monthly Essay - How do phones affect our health?
Different sources state different facts about how phones affect our health. Some sources say that phone use is associated with cancer, while others state that phones are proven to be safe. What is really true?
To start with, phones emit radiation, specifically radiofrequency energy. And tissues that are close to the phone can absorb the radiation. The amount of radiofrequency energy that the body absorbs mainly depends on the distance between the phone and the person. If the radiation is high enough, a thermal effect could occur. This is when it raises the body temperature. Former studies showed that this could cause even the slightest increase in the risk of getting cancer, especially brain tumors.
However, as shown in the latest studies, phones can affect our health in a variety of indirect ways, but cancer is not one of them. Getting cancer has nothing to do with using your phone, instead, it could be caused by many other reasons. In fact, radiofrequency radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation, which is why it doesn’t cause cancer.
To avoid other effects, such as stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, road accidents, or strain in your neck muscles, you can limit your screen time, especially the amount of time that the phone is close to you. You can also limit your call time, alternate sides when calling someone, don’t place your phone near you when you’re not using it, and don’t use your phone when driving!
Sources:
Cell Phones and Cancer Risk. National Cancer Institute. 2022 March 10.
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet
Can Cell Phones Harm Our Health? National Center For Health Research. 2022.
https://www.center4research.org/can-cell-phones-harm-health/
Health risks associated with mobile phone use. National Liberty of Medicine. 2014 October.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4350886/
How to Reduce the Negative Effects of Cell Phones. Financial 4.0. 2019 October 3.
https://www.msufcu.org/fin40/story/2111/
Mobile phones and your health. Better Health Channel. 2014 June 3.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/mobile-phones-and-your-health#health-concerns-over-mobile-phone-use
Ways Your Smartphone Can Wreck Your Health. WebMD. 2021 August 4.
https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-smart-phone-health-problems#:~:text=Too%20much%20time%20looking%20down,stretch%20and%20arch%20your%20back.
October Monthly Essay - How do our hearts pump blood?
Our hearts do a lot of work by just pumping blood. In fact, every time your heart beats, it pumps blood. By doing this, the blood sends oxygen and nutrients to the rest of your body. It also gets rid of unwanted carbon dioxide and waste products.
To answer the question very broadly, our hearts are divided into two separate pumping systems. We call this the right side and the left side. The right side receives blood that is low in oxygen that comes from our veins. It is then pumped into your lungs where it replaces the bad oxygen with good oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. The left side receives the good oxygen and pumps it through our arteries to our whole body.
To be more specific, in the right atrium, the upper right side is where blood with low oxygen is received. The blood goes through the tricuspid valve and ends up in the right ventricle, the lower right side of the heart. It is then pumped through the pulmonary valve and reaches the pulmonary artery. Doing this causes the blood with low oxygen to reach the lungs, which is where the blood picks up oxygen. The blood with rich oxygen goes through the pulmonary veins and reaches the left atrium, the upper left of the heart. The blood then goes through the mitral valve and reaches the left ventricle, the lower left of the heart. After this, the blood goes through the aortic valve and goes to the aorta.
Sources:
How the Heart Works. MyHealth Alberta. 2021 April 29.
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tx4097abc#:~:text=The%20right%20ventricle%20pumps%20the,the%20rest%20of%20the%20body
How Your Heart Works. NHS Inform. 2020 February 13.
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/heart-and-blood-vessels/about-the-heart/understanding-how-your-heart-functions#:~:text=It's%20the%20muscle%20at%20the,carbon%20dioxide%20and%20waste%20products
How Your Heart Works. British Heart Foundation. 2021 August.
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/how-a-healthy-heart-works
August Monthly Essay - How can you quickly lose weight?
There are multiple tips out there that can help you lose weight dramatically. The most common one is sticking to a routine of eating a regular meal at a regular time or just generally not skipping breakfast. By doing this, you would be able to burn more calories, stop excessively eating, and would be more healthy due to the necessary nutrients needed.
Finding substitutes such as veggies and fruits or water or foods full of high fiber instead of junk food can lead to a successful weight loss. Veggies and fruits contain plenty of minerals and vitamins and are also low in calories and fat which is one key to losing weight. Along with this, water is sometimes what is really needed to take that hunger away. The best part about drinking water is that water has no calories so it doesn’t add on any weight. Along with that, foods of high fiber help you feel full which can reduce your chances of eating more. A few examples of food with high fiber would be plants, fruits, vegetables, oats, whole grain bread, brown rice, pasta, beans, peas, and lentils,
It is also essential to be active as you can burn off calories that you would not be able to burn off with just a diet. However, exercising once in a while will not help, the key to losing weight is also to exercise often and to have a routine.
Another key to losing weight is to do a calorie count and check the protein and fat percentage in all foods, this way you will be able to maintain your diet. Another trick that works often is to use a smaller plate so you eat a smaller amount. In fact, the stomach takes around 20 minutes to tell the brain that the stomach is full to be sure to eat slowly and stop eating before you become full. Also, be sure to not get rid of any of your likings, that will only want to make you crave them more.
Source:
12 Tips to Help You Lose Weight. NHS. 2019 November 29.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/managing-your-weight/12-tips-to-help-you-lose-weight/
July Monthly Essay - How do you catch the flu?
Typically, viruses are spread when someone happens to sneeze or cough near you due to tiny droplets that make contact with you. However, if you happen to touch your face, particularly your nose, eyes, or mouth, after touching an item that has been contaminated, you could potentially get the virus. One thing to keep in mind is that an item can be contaminated with the virus for up to 2 days.
However, coming in contact with the flu doesn’t exactly mean you could get the virus. It genuinely depends on when the other person was infected and how many viral particles are in the droplets that were shared with you.
Viruses are most contagious when it’s been 2 or 3 days since first getting the virus or flu. After about a week, viruses won’t be as contagious. However, there could be a possibility of spreading the virus even before symptoms start coming.
And as we all know as of now due to COVID, the most efficient way to reduce your chances of getting the flu or virus is to stay at least 6 feet apart from everyone around you.
Sources:
Bhargava, H. How Do You Catch a Cold or the Flu?. WebMD. 2017 January 20.
How Flu Spreads. CDC. 2018 August 27.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/spread.htm#:~:text=People%20with%20flu%20ca